Kernel-mode Software Protection to Prevent Piracy, Reverse Engineering, and Tampering of End-Node Applications

The ability to protect software from piracy, unauthorized use, reverse-engineering, or other malicious analysis represents a valuable commodity in a currently underserved market. While existing techniques for protecting software applications are able to stop juvenile cracking attempts, a desperate need exists for more sophisticated solutions which can protect Critical Intellectual Property (CIP) from skilled software crackers and state-sponsored reverse-engineering labs. Binary Fortress is designed to provide a secure environment for the safe execution of sensitive applications without fear that confidential data or proprietary algorithms will be exposed or stolen. This process is transparent to the user, and the underlying protection mechanisms do not require any access to the application’s source code or software build process. Instead, protection can be added to any existing binary executable or application library that is in the Windows-native PE file format. This flexibility ensures that system architects are given the freedom to choose exactly which applications require enhanced software protection in a variety of deployment scenarios. Sherri Sparks and Shawn Embleton of Clear Hat, experts in the field of Windows kernel development, and Don Bailey, a leading researcher of hypervisor technology will join with the Pikewerks team to tackle these challenging problems.