Run an encrypted application

Question

I wish to seal a .net application before distributing it to the user.

My purpose is to seal the application "app.exe + *.dll" and prevent the user from loading the application except from an application loader "Process.Start(app.exe)", the idea is to prevent the user from loading the application by double clicking on "app.exe".

I found an application called "CodeVeil" but what I want is something that is not integrated within the application.

The application loader and the application are both local on the client PC.

Answer 1

Depends how strong you want this check to be.

The simplest things that could possibly work are:

• Examine the process tree to find out the process that started your process
• Pass in an argument on the command line and look for it. When someone double clicks, this wont be present

If you're just trying to save people who click on the wrong stuff from themselves, can I ask why?

Are you're trying to implement some form of licensing solution? If so, neither of the above solutions will present any challenge whatsoever to a Reflector kiddie.

I'd recommend adding much more detail to your question so people can give you an answer to your overall problem rather than just a solution to a small fragment of it.