System and method for controlling usage of executable code

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for protecting and/or controlling usage of executable code. A method may include periodically producing morphed or otherwise modified executable code related to an application and providing such morphed code to clients. A method may include generating log data and providing log data to a referee unit. The referee unit may determine an outcome of an execution of an application related to the morphed code based on the log data.

1 . A system for controlling a usage of executable software code, the system comprising:
 a code morphing unit to periodically produce a morphed executable code related to a peer to peer (P2P) game;   a code distribution unit to receive said morphed executable code from said code morphing unit and to distribute said morphed executable code to at least first and second computing devices, said first and second computing devices being configured to receive said morphed executable code from said code distribution unit, and engage in a P2P game by executing said morphed executable code.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a management unit to verify compatibility of said morphed executable code and prevent said first and second computing devices from engaging in said P2P game if compatibility is not determined. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said code distribution unit is to periodically distribute a plurality of versions of said morphed executable code do at least said first and second computing devices. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein if said game comprises two or more sessions, then after terminating a first session and before commencing a second session, subsequent to said first session, said first and second computing devices are required to execute a new morphed executable code, different from executable code used in said first session. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said code morphing unit is to produce said morphed executable code by generating a morphed source code and compiling said morphed source code to produce a morphed binary executable code. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a referee unit, wherein said first and second computing devices are configured to provide said referee unit with log data related to said game, and wherein said referee unit is configured to determine a ruling related to said game based at least in part on said log data. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said code distribution unit is to update said referee unit with a parameter of said morphed executable code upon distributing said morphed executable code, and wherein said referee unit is configured to determine said ruling based at least in part on said parameter of said morphed executable code. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said first and second computing devices are configured to provide said log data to said referee unit in real-time. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein said referee unit is configured to determine said ruling in real-time. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said morphed executable code comprises a virtule machine (VM) and a morphed byte code and wherein said morphed byte code is generated by:
 morphing a compiler thus producing a morphed compiler,   generating a morphed VM related to said morphed compiler, and   producing said morphed byte code based on said morphed compiler and said morphed VM.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein said code morphing unit is to produce said morphed executable code by performing at least one of obscuring data variables, adding redundant instructions, adding redundant variables, changing an order of two or more class data members, changing instructions orders, changing a footprint related to a morphed executable code, and replacing instructions with macros. 
     
     
         12 . A method of controlling a usage of an executable code, the method comprising:
 periodically producing a morphed executable code related to a peer to peer (P2P) game;   distributing said morphed executable code to at least a first and second computing devices; and   engaging in a P2P game by executing said morphed executable code by said at least first and second computing devices.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising verifying compatibility of said morphed executable code and preventing said at least first and second computing devices from engaging in said P2P game if compatibility is not determined. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said first and second computing devices periodically receive versions of said morphed executable code. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein if said game comprises two or more sessions, then after terminating a first session and before conferencing a second session, subsequent to said first session, forcing said first and second computing devices to execute a new morphed executable code, different from executable code used in said first session. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said morphed executable code is produced by generating a morphed source code and compiling said morphed source code to produce a morphed binary executable code, and wherein generating a morphed source code is by at least one of: obfuscating data variables, adding redundant instructions, adding redundant variables, changing an order of two or more class data members, changing instructions orders, changing a footprint related to a morphed executable code and replacing instructions with macros. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising determining a ruling related to said game by a referee unit, said determining being based at least in part on log data received from said at least first and second computing devices. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said log data is provided by said at least first and second computing devices in real-time. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein determining said ruling is performed in real-time. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising:
 producing a morphed byte code to be executed with relation to a morphed virtual machine (VM) by:   morphing a compiler thus producing a morphed compiler,   generating said morphed VM, said VM related to said morphed compiler, and   producing said morphed byte code based on said morphed compiler and said morphed VM.