Can all software be reverse engineered?

Regarding legal documentation, reverse engineering is often prohibited by end-user license agreements (EULAs). But the US Digital Millennium Copyright Act specifies that reversing a piece of software is legal if it” done to improve compatibility with other products.

Can you see closed source code?

With closed source software (also known as proprietary software), the public is not given access to the source code, so they can’t see or modify it in any way. Keep in mind that you don’t have to read or modify any code in order to use an open source product.

Is it illegal to reverse engineer a PCB?

Reverse engineering generally doesn’t violate trade secret law because it is a fair and independent means of learning information, not a misappropriation. Once the information is discovered in a fair and honest way, it also can be reported without violating trade secret law.

Can executables be reverse engineered?

Also: Yes. Reverse-engineering is always possible, with knowledge and effort.

How does it differ from closed-source software?

Open source software refers to the computer software which source is open means the general public can access and use. Closed source software refers to the computer software which source code is closes means public is not given access to the source code.

Is there any difference between commercial software and closed software?

Closed source software is software that holds the source code safe and encrypted. Meaning, the user can’t copy, modify, or delete parts of the code without some type of consequence. It can go from voiding the warranty to even legal repercussions. Open source software is software that does the complete opposite.

Is closed source software more secure?

For closed source software, companies themselves typically pay for the same kind of vetting but they only want to do it for the most popular applications. In this regard, open source software is more secure than closed source software.

Is closed source software safe?

In today’s third-party, Internet-of-Things world, the only truth is that all software – be it open or closed-source – is inherently insecure. With both open-source and closed-source systems, it is impossible to create code that’s not vulnerable.

What are some good examples of reverse engineering in software development?

ReactOS would be a good example of how to deal with that situation. The method is called “clean room reverse engineering”. Even more fishy would be to re-implement something based on the implementation details but without the clean room approach.

What is the EU law on reverse engineering software?

Article 6 of the 1991 EU Computer Programs Directive allows reverse engineering for the purposes of interoperability, but prohibits it for the purposes of creating a competing product, and also prohibits the public release of information obtained through reverse engineering of software (source).

Is it legal to reverse engineer a license agreement?

Additionally, due to section 23 of the Indian Contract Act, which handles all contracts including License Agreements, a contract is declared void if it goes against public policy. Section 52 of the Copyright Act declares public policy concerning reverse engineering, which is that it is permitted in a limited way.

What is the clean room approach to reverse engineering?

The method is called “clean room reverse engineering”. Even more fishy would be to re-implement something based on the implementation details but without the clean room approach. Roughly the point here is that one party looks at the original implementation and code (the reverse engineer). S/he documents the implementation details.