Product: SourceGuardian Pro 2.0
Price: $250.00

The main purpose of this software is to encrypt and obfuscate your PHP scripts to prevent other people from accessing your source code, whether you've got a nosey host, you need extra security when selling code, or you're just plain selfish :-)

This software could allow a PHP contractor to add a whole new pricing scheme to their projects. For example: 50% of the agreed upon price will deliver a fully functional "demo" that renders itself useless after 7 days. A non-demo version will be delivered upon receipt of the other 50% and for an additional fee, full source (unencrypted) access.

No additional extensions need to be bundled into PHP to run encrypted files, and they'll run on any setup (except Apache 2) according to the site & help files. All you need for an encrypted file to run is a version of PHP >= 4, and the appropriate ixed file - the latest of which are available at the SourceGuardian website. Just bundle them with your distributions.

How secure is it? Well, practically the only way to reverse-engineer the code would require a partial rewrite and compilation of the core PHP engine, and very dedicated cracker. It's secure.

I've only used this software for a very short period of time and I have already found it to be very inspiring, it makes me anticipate future projects. I'm 100% for open-source technology, but unfortunately people will take advantage of you if you're not careful; SourceGuardian is the perfect solution. Having researched similar software by other companies, I'd have to say SourceGuardian is by far the most reasonable product for my needs.

Pros:
• Non-expiring license
• Bundled with features such as IP restriction and timeout settings (which are a must in my opinion), this software is currently the cheapest on the market.
• Easy & self-explanitory to use.
• Can be run in command line mode (for super geeks).
• Custom expiration messages (ie, "dis c0d3 h4s b33n expung3d.")
• Free minor updates

Cons:
• Although it warns about making backups, because the files you encode are overwritten through a one-way (irreversable) encryption, there doesn't appear to be a backup option even though it hints that there is one available (somewhere?).
• It doesn't appear you can edit or make last second changes to scripts directly through the software interface, at least in windows.

Check out the SourceGuardian website for more details and visual examples.

DISCLAIMER: The content provided in this article is not warranted or guaranteed by Developer Shed, Inc. The content provided is intended for entertainment and/or educational purposes in order to introduce to the reader key ideas, concepts, and/or product reviews. As such it is incumbent upon the reader to employ real-world tactics for security and implementation of best practices. We are not liable for any negative consequences that may result from implementing any information covered in our articles or tutorials. If this is a hardware review, it is not recommended to open and/or modify your hardware.

More PHP Software Reviews Articles
More By notepad

 

developerWorks - FREE Tools!

IBM DB2 Deep Compression ROI Tool The IBM DB2 Deep Compression ROI tool is designed for DBA’s and IT management personnel to perform a clinical analysis of the cost savings gained from the Storage Optimization feature of DB2 9 for Linux, UNIX and Windows. The feature, also known as Deep Compression, compresses data that lies within a database by up to 80% at times. FREE! Go There Now!

NEW! Best practices for software analysis: An introduction to the IBM Rational Software Analyzer application This whitepaper presents the benefits of successfully introducing static analysis into your organization using IBM Rational Software Analyzer. Additionally, it identifies some common pitfalls that can hinder the effective use of static analysis tooling as well as presents 10 simple strategies designed to help you quickly realize the value of static analysis using Rational Software Analyzer. FREE! Go There Now!

NEW! Download a free trial of WebSphere Business Modeler Advanced V6.1.1 Visit IBM developerWorks to download a free trial version of WebSphere Business Modeler Advanced V6.1.1, IBM’s premier business process modeling and analysis tool for business users that offers process modeling, simulation, and analysis capabilities. IBM WebSphere Business Modeler helps you visualize, understand, and document business processes for continuous improvement. FREE! Go There Now!

NEW! Download DB2 Express-C 9.5 Visit IBM developerWorks to download IBM DB2 Express-C 9.5, a no-charge version of DB2 Express 9 database server. DB2 Express-C offers the same core data server base features as other DB2 Express editions and provides a solid base to build and deploy applications developed using C/C++, Java, .NET, PHP, and other programming languages. FREE! Go There Now!

NEW! Integrating XML into Your Enterprise Using Data Federation XML has become a common way of storing business data as flat files and many data server vendors including IBM have provided ways to store this data within relational database systems. Increasingly collections of XML files are accessed like databases using an xQuery and other XML standard mechanisms. Businesses find the need to combine the traditional tabular structured data with XML formatted data. In this webcast, you’ll learn about IBM’s WebSphere Federation Server technology, which provides users with the ability to integrate these two data formats. FREE! Go There Now!

NEW! Rational Modeling Extension for Microsoft.Net Rational Modeling Extension for Microsoft .NET enhances usability for code generation supporting a more intelligent refactoring. The latest enhancements enable organizations with Java and .NET systems and software development maintain architectural integrity across heterogeneous platforms. FREE! Go There Now!

NEW! Rational Talks to You: Grady Booch on Architecture Join this Rational Talks to You teleconference on November 29 at 1:00 pm ET to participate in an interactive discusssion with Grady Booch around architecture and reuse. Get your questions answered! FREE! Go There Now!

NEW! Software Change and Configuration Management Solution Guidelines This whitepaper provides areas to consider when evaluating any software configuration management solution. It addresses how the IBM solutions (Rational ClearCase and Rational ClearQuest) meet the needs and requirements of both project leaders and developers to provide successful Software Change and Configuration Management. FREE! Go There Now!

NEW! Webcast: Introducing the new Information Server and Solutions community: LeverageInformation User communities play an important role in communication and collaboration around products, solutions and other areas of special interest to members. Successful communities are able to provide the right mix of content and services to deliver a value proposition that resonates with each audience. Join Tom Inman, VP of Marketing for Information and Platform Solutions as he introduces the new LeverageINFORMATION community. During this webcast, learn about the value provided by the community and how customers and partners derive value from the community in addressing their own technical and business challenges. FREE! Go There Now!

NEW! Whitepaper: Achieving consistency between business process models and operational guides Explore how Rational and WebSphere software enable enterprise documentation in SOA environments. Specifically, a new integration between IBM WebSphere® Business Modeler and IBM Rational® Method Composer software can help technical writers more easily keep enterprise operations manuals in sync with changes that are made to business processes, resulting in more accurate and timely documentation that benefits the entire enterprise. FREE! Go There Now!

All FREE IBM® developerWorks Tools!