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Software Vault: The Diamond Collection
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README.1ST
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1995-03-22
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Protect! EXE/COM v5.5
(C) 1993-1995 Jeremy Lilley
All Rights Reserved
A Quick Look At Protect!
------------------------
Thank you for obtaining Protect! EXE/COM v5.5 to evaluate!
What is Protect!?
-----------------
If you're unfamiliar with Protect!, it is an encryption and
anti-hacking program for EXE and COM files. Protect! will encrypt
your regular DOS EXE and COM program files to make them difficult
to modify or to reverse-engineer. The resulting files are random to
the point that they are uncompressible and debugging through them
becomes very difficult with all of the "garbage" instructions and
anti-debugging material in the way.
Modification Detection
----------------------
If the file is modified, a modification error message, which
can be changed by registered users, pops up before the file has the
chance to run. Most program authors and software developers would
*MUCH* prefer a simple message to pop up than to have the file run
with "missing" copyright screens, with increased threat of a virus
attack, or with a tendancy for it to "crash" or "hang."
Quick Syntax
------------
To Protect a file, simply run ProtExCm.EXE:
PROTEXCM MYPROG[.EXE or .COM] [-N]
(If no extension is specified, it will look for the
file, EXE first)
The -N option disables compression.
When you register, you just need to add one more
parameter to change the message displayed when the
file is modified.
Requirements for Protect!
-------------------------
There are no special requirements except that the file must
be DOS-based, non-overlaid, and under about 600k. Sometimes,
especially in large xBase files, the number of relocation pointers
will require the program to be compressed with another compression
program in order to run efficiently when Protected. Protect! will
Page 2
try to save space by compressing, but you can stop this by using
the -N option (not compressing may speed up loading). You may
wish to use other compression programs such as the freeware LZEXE
or PKWare's PKLITE before running Protect in order to get tighter
compression, but it is not necessary.
Anti-Debugging and Additional Security
--------------------------------------
Protect! now uses advanced anti-debugging techniques and
its own mutation engine (see the documentation for more on the
mutation engine) to thwart your programs from being "cracked."
No longer can a few bytes be blanked out to prevent certain
copyright screens from being displayed or to change the behavior
of the program. You won't have to worry nearly as much about
people disassembling your secret algorithms or every Dick and
Jane using a simple hex editor to change unprotected copyright
messages.
Just A Few More Thoughts
------------------------
Don't let the simplicity of Protect! fool you - it is a
powerful anti-hack program that has been tried, tested, and
improved upon for the last year. No TSRs or anything obtrusive
are needed - the variable-length security envelope added to the
file (about 1k) takes care of all of the anti-debugging and
integrity checking. The new integrated compression and MarkEXE,
a separate copyright embedding tool, now make the Protect! EXE/COM
program encryption and protection package a complete protection
system.
Registering Protect!
--------------------
Protect! is $25, and in order to distribute files that
you Protect, you must register. Registered users get a copy of
PROTEXCM.EXE without the beg screens, slightly different than
the unregistered version (i.e. any future unregistered unprotect
may not necessarily work for a registered version). Your
registration also includes product updates and support. Finally
and most importantly, you can customize your own modification
error messages (especially on foreign-language versions of
products). In any case, thank you for evaluating Protect!
The Author's Address:
---------------------
Jeremy Lilley
Protect! EXE/COM
2711 Oakview Circle
Medford, Oregon 97504
Compuserve: 75060,2074
Internet: 75060.2074@compuserve.com