DotFix NiceProtect v26.1: Major updates and improvements for solid protection
Hello! We are excited to announce the release of the newest version of DotFix NiceProtect, v26.1. This update brings significant improvements to our virtualization and mutation engines, ensuring an unprecedented level of security for both 32-bit and 64-bit applications. Our team has worked tirelessly to optimize performance, enhance compatibility, and redesign the user interface for a smoother experience. Let us dive into the major new features and see how they can benefit your software protection strategy.
A complete refactoring of the mutation and virtualization protection code was performed in this release. We have added support for the virtualization and mutation of conditions and loops across both 32 and 64-bit codebases. This provides a much stronger layer of defense against reverse engineering. Furthermore, both the 32-bit and 64-bit virtual machines have been significantly improved. We reworked processor flag control, which directly translates to improved compatibility with complex algorithms and various compiler outputs.
The Delphi/FreePascal obfuscator has been completely rewritten, heavily optimized, and improved to significantly increase its compatibility. We also completely rewrote the algorithm responsible for mutating class, object, and event names across Delphi, FreePascal, and Visual Basic 5.0/6.0 applications. Now, during each protection cycle, full name randomization is performed independently of object order. Name lengths are restructured, and names are randomized uniquely for each form.
Additionally, the Delphi and FreePascal obfuscators now support the childpos flag for objects with parsed properties. We have also introduced support for the protection of events belonging to nested objects, such as ToolBar buttons or graph output components, ensuring comprehensive coverage of your application's UI elements.
Handling large files can be time-consuming, so we fully optimized the MAP file loading code. Large files designated for protection now load noticeably faster, saving valuable time during the build process. In addition, we optimized work with hash algorithms to speed up internal operations. For 64-bit files, the unpacker code within the protection loader was completely rewritten. The unpacker now runs faster and correctly handles exotic executable structures, such as sections that are unaligned or cases where the virtual size is smaller than the actual physical size.
We understand that reading through logs is a crucial part of the protection process. That is why the protection log has received a completely new design. Different events are now marked with their own colors, allowing you to quickly spot warnings, errors, or successful operations. To better suit your development environment, both light and dark themes are now fully supported in the UI.
Analyzing which code has been marked for protection is now easier than ever. By double-clicking on a line with an address in the protection log, DotFix NiceProtect disassembles the code from that address and displays it on the screen. Both 32-bit and 64-bit code disassembly are fully supported. The disassembled code view also supports light and dark themes. For improved navigation, pressing the Esc key in the disassembler window returns you directly to your previous context—either the protection log or the MAP file's function list, depending on where you entered from.
In our continued commitment to stability, we fixed the virtualization of mov commands utilizing 64-bit relocatable addresses in imm64. We also resolved an error that could occur if the pre-protection notification was not disabled and the protection process was triggered twice in quick succession.
We invite all our clients to upgrade to DotFix NiceProtect v26.1 to take advantage of these powerful new features and performance boosts. We remain dedicated to providing the most reliable protection for your Windows applications.
Refactored Mutation and Virtualization
A complete refactoring of the mutation and virtualization protection code was performed in this release. We have added support for the virtualization and mutation of conditions and loops across both 32 and 64-bit codebases. This provides a much stronger layer of defense against reverse engineering. Furthermore, both the 32-bit and 64-bit virtual machines have been significantly improved. We reworked processor flag control, which directly translates to improved compatibility with complex algorithms and various compiler outputs.
Advanced Obfuscation for Delphi, FreePascal, and VB 5.0/6.0
The Delphi/FreePascal obfuscator has been completely rewritten, heavily optimized, and improved to significantly increase its compatibility. We also completely rewrote the algorithm responsible for mutating class, object, and event names across Delphi, FreePascal, and Visual Basic 5.0/6.0 applications. Now, during each protection cycle, full name randomization is performed independently of object order. Name lengths are restructured, and names are randomized uniquely for each form.
Additionally, the Delphi and FreePascal obfuscators now support the childpos flag for objects with parsed properties. We have also introduced support for the protection of events belonging to nested objects, such as ToolBar buttons or graph output components, ensuring comprehensive coverage of your application's UI elements.
Optimizations and Faster Loading
Handling large files can be time-consuming, so we fully optimized the MAP file loading code. Large files designated for protection now load noticeably faster, saving valuable time during the build process. In addition, we optimized work with hash algorithms to speed up internal operations. For 64-bit files, the unpacker code within the protection loader was completely rewritten. The unpacker now runs faster and correctly handles exotic executable structures, such as sections that are unaligned or cases where the virtual size is smaller than the actual physical size.
New Protection Log Design
We understand that reading through logs is a crucial part of the protection process. That is why the protection log has received a completely new design. Different events are now marked with their own colors, allowing you to quickly spot warnings, errors, or successful operations. To better suit your development environment, both light and dark themes are now fully supported in the UI.
Enhanced Disassembler Features
Analyzing which code has been marked for protection is now easier than ever. By double-clicking on a line with an address in the protection log, DotFix NiceProtect disassembles the code from that address and displays it on the screen. Both 32-bit and 64-bit code disassembly are fully supported. The disassembled code view also supports light and dark themes. For improved navigation, pressing the Esc key in the disassembler window returns you directly to your previous context—either the protection log or the MAP file's function list, depending on where you entered from.
Crucial Bug Fixes
In our continued commitment to stability, we fixed the virtualization of mov commands utilizing 64-bit relocatable addresses in imm64. We also resolved an error that could occur if the pre-protection notification was not disabled and the protection process was triggered twice in quick succession.
We invite all our clients to upgrade to DotFix NiceProtect v26.1 to take advantage of these powerful new features and performance boosts. We remain dedicated to providing the most reliable protection for your Windows applications.
(C) Sergey Chubchenko, DotFix NiceProtect's main developer