Encrypting PHP Code

[bluemanteam]

I have some finalized php code that I would like to release.

I've heard that Ioncube and Zend Guard are two of the better means of encrypting php files, but they are a little more then I can afford.

Are there other encoders that are as secure as the above two, preferably don't require any additional files be loaded on the server to run the encrypted files and don't use base64 (which I've heard is easily hackable).

Thank you

[laserlight]

Release your code under an open source license 😉

Personally, the two that you have named are the ones that I would trust, and even then there have been claims that the security provided is insufficient. Even if you release your code as-is, you do have the option of taking legal action against copyright infringement, of course, but that may cost you even more money than just using Zend Guard or Ioncube.

[Kudose]

base64 is obfuscation, not encryption.

I've used Zend Guard successfully in the past, but it, as well as IonCube, can be decoded.

laserlight is right about releasing code as open source, IMHO.

In my opinion, if you encode it, people will want to decode it just to see what you're hiding and your source will end up on a torrent site.

[bluemanteam]

Thanks for the suggestions. I was doing some reading on enrypting files, is it correct that all bytecoder PHP encoder require loader files?

Are there any that are fully self contained.

[Kudose]

How could you decrypt the file using the key if the key is in the encrypted file?