Protecting an excel trading system

Quote from Murray Ruggiero:

They also will let you password protect your code in a XLA, these are protected so you can't see the code but I don't know how easy it is to break them.
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Easy enough for somebody with an oyster's brain to succeed:

you just need to open the "protected" spreadsheet with Open Office (freeware, open source).

OOo's basic, and Msft one are not "compatible", so when openning an xls file containing vba macros, OOo unprotects them (and the sheet too), converts all VB lines into remarks ("REM"), then displays the sheet.

You can then see the original vba code fully undislosed by using the menu Tools..., Macros..., organize macros..., OpenOffice.org basic.

Obviously, in order to run this code, you would have to first rewrite it into OOo's basic. But as long as you've got acces to the source, it should not be impossible.

The dll advice is a much stronger solution.

Olivier.
 
Quote from Paccc:

I think COM DLLs are compiled so you won't easily be able to view the source. If you're worried about it sending your code back to the server (although I doubt they would do this) you could always use a network analyzer to capture all packets sent in and out of your system and look at them to see what data they contain.

Paccc
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A 'network analyzer': which product would you suggest?
 
Clearly you need to move up the programming tree...
To achieve anything other than patchwork security.

Also...
People tend to ** vastly overestimate ** the value of their trading system "intellectual property"...
And overestimate the desire of "brokers" to to steal existing software systems...
Especially stuff coded by hobbyist level programmers.

Anybody with a solvent securities business...
Would steal an interesting approach and some specifics in a heartbeat...
Yes... you are right about that.
But that entity also would have either professional programmers on staff...
Or consultants they can bring in to code whatever is necassary.

Stealing someone's (likely) bad written and implemented code is a sub-optimal starting point...
** Much ** better to clone the system with major improvements from scratch in house by bona fide software engineers.

Also...
If you are doing business with people that will not give you intellectual property contract protection...
(Which usually does indeed hold up in court)...
Why... oh why?

Your excel stuff could end up being the least of your problems.
 
hounddog, I think you make a really good point.

but the ultimate security (if one wants it)
is in encryption, I use almost 60 000 bit
variable key, variable algorithm, non-HD based encryption.

this is little bit over the top, and unnecessary, but if you like computer work, and happen to have something to protect then why not encrypt to the point where NSA gets a headache

BTW I think NSA can handle 60 000 bit
 
Quote from Bernard111:

A 'network analyzer': which product would you suggest?
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Probably the most common one I can think of would be Ethereal. I've used it many times in the past and it has always gotten the job done. Good luck.

Paccc
 
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