Obfuscation (software)

In software development, obfuscation is the deliberate act of creating obfuscated code, i.e. source or machine code that is difficult for humans to understand. Like obfuscation in natural language, it may use needlessly roundabout expressions to compose statements.

Programmers may deliberately obfuscate code to conceal its purpose (security through obscurity) or its logic, in order to prevent tampering, deter reverse engineering, or as a puzzle or recreational challenge for someone reading the source code.

Programs known as obfuscators transform readable code into obfuscated code using various techniques.

Overview

The architecture and characteristics of some languages may make them easier to obfuscate than others.C,C++, and the Perl programming language are some examples of languages easy to obfuscate.

Recreational obfuscation

Writing and reading obfuscated source code can be a brain teaser for programmers. A number of programming contests reward the most creatively obfuscated code: the International Obfuscated C Code Contest, Obfuscated Perl Contest, and International Obfuscated Ruby Code Contest.