Obfuscation is the process of scrambling and encrypting software so that it cannot be easily reverse-engineered.  The goal is to stop all casual hackers and as many serious hackers as possible from trying inspect and crack the code.

As I described in my article "Obfuscation? Gesundheit!," programs written for .NET can be reverse-engineered quite easily.  Anyone with a decompiler such as the free .NET Reflector can look at .NET applications and libraries and literally see the entire original source code, including names, logic and flow.  Hackers can inspect .NET software to find and exploit its security flaws, steal unique ideas and license keys, or pirate the application.  To plug this massive security hole, .NET software should be obfuscated.

Following is a list of .NET obfuscators available today and any online reviews.  Price is for one developer license unless otherwise noted.  A plus sign indicates the price is for the standard version, and advanced versions are available.  Please comment if any obfuscators are missing, or if you would like to report any new reviews, updates, errors or broken links, as I will keep this list updated.

Obfuscator Company Price Reviews
Aspose.Obfuscator Aspose free, no support HTSG
Assemblur Metapropeller free  
AssemblyLockbox Gibwo $49.95/month service  
Babel Alberto Ferrazzoli free  
BitHelmet Obfuscator BitHelmet $245  
C# Source Code Obfuscator Semantic Designs $200  
CliSecure SecureTeam call vendor  
CodeArmor .NET v.i. labs call vendor VIL
CodeVeil Xheo $899  
CodeWall CodeWall Technologies $390  
Decompiler.NET Jungle Creatures $550 HTSG
DeepSea Obfuscator TallApplications BV $299  
Demeanor for .NET Wise Owl $799 HTSG
Deploy.NET Jungle Creatures $750 HTSG
DNGuard HVM ZiYuXuan Studio $899  
Dotfuscator Community PreEmptive Solutions free with Visual Studio  
Dotfuscator Professional PreEmptive Solutions call vendor HTSG, CRN, JOT
dotNet Protector pvlog €300+ HTSG
Eazfuscator.NET Oleksiy Gapotchenko free  
Goliath .NET Obfuscator Cantelmo Software free, donations  
Google Obfuscar Google free  
LSW IL-Obfuscator Lesser-Software $29  
NetOrbiter WowPanda free  
.NET Reactor Eziriz $179 DOL
Obfuscator.NET Macrobject $199  
PC Guard for .NET SofPro €399  
Phoenix Protector NTCore free  
Postbuild .NET Obfuscator Xenocode $1599 for 5  
QND-Obfuscator Desaware $39.95 HTSG
Salamander .NET Obfuscator Remotesoft $799 HTSG, Egg, JOT
Salamander .NET Protector Remotesoft $1,899 HTSG
SharpObfuscator CodePlex free  
Skater .NET Obfuscator Rustemsoft $99+  
{smartassembly} Cachupa $399+ DOL, Neo
Spices.Net Obfuscator 9rays.net $399+ HTSG, DOL
Thinstall vmware $4,995+  

  

Updated:

  • 29-Apr-08: Added Assemblur, DeepSea Obfuscator.
  • 15-Jul-08: Phoenix Protector now free. Added Google Obfuscar, SharpObfuscator, and some reviews.
  • 25-Sep-08: Added Babel.
  • 26-Apr-10: Added BitHelmet.
  • 27-Apr-10: Added CodeWall.
  • 13-Nov-10: Added NetOrbiter. Updated Spices.Net link and price.
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