I have a Windows C++ app which is supposed to be used with a license, with user and password, like Autodesk Fusion, and a user should not to be able to use it with invalid or expired credentials. We have a simple authentication scheme with signed Json Web Tokens which are checked with a server on startup. However, since now we want to sell the application to final users, we need to somehow protect the code, so that it's not exactly trivial for an end user to use the software without license, or for a hacker to decompile the code and get all our IP. I am completely aware of the fact that a hacker with enough time will be able to bypass any license check no matter how complicated and decompile all our code and get all our IP. However, I understand there are common practices, like stripping debug symbols and code obfuscation. Are there, like, standards for this so that in the inevitable moment a hacker decompiles our app and gets all our IP we can at least say "we did protect our code, let's file a lawsuit" or something like that?
Ask HN: C++ code protection in desktop apps. How do you keep your boss happy? | Better HN
