Skater TOTAL

Skater TOTAL is an exceptional .NET protection tool that provides genuine security for your production software. Developed by RustemSoft, the latest version, 8.7.1, stands out for its ability to entirely halt MSIL disassemblers, offering a stronger defense than traditional obfuscation methods. Unlike a regular .NET code obfuscator, which only complicates unauthorized reverse-engineering by renaming symbols and encrypting control flows, Skater TOTAL transforms the revealed MSIL code of your executables into a native unmanaged format. This ensures the metadata remains intact and grants a level of protection akin to that of native ASM and C++ code.

When compiling to .NET managed code, the compiler translates your source code into Microsoft's intermediate language (MSIL), which can be efficiently converted to native code. This makes MSIL a potential target for decompilers. Skater TOTAL effectively mitigates this risk by securing C# and VB.NET compiled code, thus preventing unauthorized access to your source materials.

The tool's significant advantage is that it totally stops MSIL disassemblers, unlike a regular .NET obfuscator which only makes reverse-engineering harder without fully preventing it. This is crucial as C# and VB.NET assemblies yield more source code information during decompilation compared to C++ assemblies.

Operating under a Shareware license, this program ensures that developers can maintain their coding in high-level object-oriented programming languages like C# and VB.NET without jeopardizing their intellectual property. Other available versions include 8.7, and 7.0, making it a versatile tool in the realm of Security, particularly within the Privacy subcategory.

Pros:

• Provides a higher level of security compared to regular .NET obfuscators.
• Completely halts MSIL disassemblers, protecting the source code.
• Allows developers to continue using high-level OOP languages (C# / VB.NET).

Cons:

• Requires an understanding of how managed and unmanaged code differ.
• May come at a cost due to its Shareware license model.

For those seeking a robust security tool for their .NET applications, a free download or trial to evaluate Skater TOTAL 8.7.1 could be a beneficial first step. The added protection against reverse-engineering could prove invaluable for safeguarding intellectual property.

You may want to check out more software, such as Total Annihilation Zero, Total Validator Tool or Total Tester, which might be similar to Skater TOTAL.