Re: encrypted source file support in jdk?
Lew wrote:
Tom Forsmo wrote:
Hi
I an wondering if anybody knows if its possible to extend the
functionality of the sun java compiler/vm in jdk6, with for example
plugins or similar? or if the jdk supports something similar already?
What I am looking for is to set up a jdk environment where the source
code is ecrypted at the file level. This requires javac to be able to
en-/decrypt the source files. For further protection, the jvm would
need such support as well.
Use the encrypted file capability of your host operating system,
As I stated further down in the post, that is a solution which is not
relevant for this scenario. Becuase does not solve this problem.
or pipe
the source through a decryptor on the way to the compiler.
that is a possibility, if the tools used supports feeding the tool with
input through a pipe. I think that might be a problem in java since the
compiler requires files to be located in directories according to their
package names and directory structures can not be communicated through pipes
any solution would have to be integrated into the IDE so that the IDE
can cache keys so the user dont have to enter the password every time
and so that only the IDE environment has access to the decrypted files
(i.e. if its the tool that decrypts the password must be cached by the
tool for the user does not have to type the password everytime. If the
tool caches the password, then anybody can actually run the tool and get
unenecrypted access to the source code.
My current thinking is that it should be integrated at the application
level, i.e. the ide/tools(java, javac) since then the solution is
portable to all platforms. A solution made for the OS or as a middleman
script etc, can not necessarily be utilised on all platforms easily.
regards
tom