Omnimaga

Calculator Community => Other Calc-Related Projects and Ideas => TI Z80 => Topic started by: ClrDraw on October 06, 2014, 12:08:25 am

Title: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: ClrDraw on October 06, 2014, 12:08:25 am
Here's my latest project everyone  ;D  I created an application that will encrypt any program or appvariable so that it is unreadable until the user decrypts it. Particularly useful if you're tired of people looking at your source without permission or stealing your programs.


The encryption algorithm has several steps and a key that is unique to each calculator. If you encrypt a file on your calc and someone else tries to decrypt it on theirs, it won't work.
The point is, it should make files incredibly difficult to hack. If anyone is up for a challenge, feel free to test it  [-.-]~


Spoiler For just a warning:
A few days ago when I was writing this, the program caused a ram clear while encrypting and I lost data. I think I fixed the problem and it hasn't occurred since. But just in case, please backup any programs before encrypting them to be safe.


Also, if you reset all memory (does not include ram clears), the key will be erased. So just be sure to decrypt all your programs before clearing all memory.


I've attatched the current version. After receiving you're feedback I'll update it and then add it to my website :)
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: bb010g on October 06, 2014, 01:04:04 am
Could you make a way to run programs whilst encrypted? Even without that, looking epic.
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: Sorunome on October 06, 2014, 02:29:59 am
Sounds sweet!
What encrypting method are you using?
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: ClrDraw on October 06, 2014, 09:48:41 am
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Could you make a way to run programs whilst encrypted? Even without that, looking epic.
I could make it decrypt the program, run it, the encrypt it again on exit!

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Sounds sweet!
What encrypting method are you using?
Google tells me it is called private key encryption? It shifts each character backwards from a certain number and factors in a randomly generated key and other variables.
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: Sorunome on October 06, 2014, 09:50:19 am
oh, ok, so no well-known algo like AES :P

EDIT: wouldn't only bitshifts allow you to decrypt pretty easily without the key?
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: ClrDraw on October 06, 2014, 12:39:56 pm
Only if you know the key, other variables, and how to factor them in ;)
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: Sorunome on October 06, 2014, 12:41:18 pm
There is a reason tons of mathematicians work on encryption algorithms ;)

EDIT: but then again, i bet for a calculator a custom one is more than enough, because who stores highly sensitive info on a calc xD
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 06, 2014, 03:03:01 pm
Awesome program. Keep in mind, though, that the action of making a BASIC program closed-source tends to make legitmate calculator programmers react negatively, though, because they believe that everything the TI community makes should be open source for learning purposes. On the other hand, certain programmers like Kerm were repeatedly victims of code theft (in his case, recently) or re-use of routines without getting any credit) so it can be understandable that some people would rather prefer to keep their programs closed-source, especially if they are not as popular and the community doesn't monitor thieves as much as with very popular programs.
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: chickendude on October 07, 2014, 10:16:20 am
Yeah i'd rather see less people hiding their source code. But really don't see this as a tool for protecting your source. If for some reason you don't want to share your source just don't release it, and it's easy enough to unprotect a BASIC program ;) I do however like the idea of having encryption on the calc so that your math teacher can't see that funny picture you drew of them and can't read the notes you've got saved on there.
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: Sorunome on October 07, 2014, 10:23:54 am
*of course* these programs aren't meant for cheating on tests, right? ;)
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: ClrDraw on October 07, 2014, 01:27:41 pm
Yeah i'd rather see less people hiding their source code. But really don't see this as a tool for protecting your source. If for some reason you don't want to share your source just don't release it, and it's easy enough to unprotect a BASIC program ;) I do however like the idea of having encryption on the calc so that your math teacher can't see that funny picture you drew of them and can't read the notes you've got saved on there.
So true. Speaking of which, I'll release the source for Anchor in a few days when it's completely finished :)

*of course* these programs aren't meant for cheating on tests, right? ;)
Who would ever do a thing like that  ;)  *cough cough* everyone *cough*
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: Princetonlion.tibd on October 08, 2014, 12:02:15 am
Just out of interest, how did you get the name "Anchor"?
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 08, 2014, 01:40:33 am
Yeah i'd rather see less people hiding their source code. But really don't see this as a tool for protecting your source. If for some reason you don't want to share your source just don't release it, and it's easy enough to unprotect a BASIC program ;) I do however like the idea of having encryption on the calc so that your math teacher can't see that funny picture you drew of them and can't read the notes you've got saved on there.
So true. Speaking of which, I'll release the source for Anchor in a few days when it's completely finished :)

*of course* these programs aren't meant for cheating on tests, right? ;)
Who would ever do a thing like that  ;)  *cough cough* everyone *cough*
Well, at least in general TI community programmers tend to use more common sense when doing exams. Also, if you cheat on tests then you impair your math skills, which, in the process, impairs your programming skills, since programming requires math. :P

Of course there are people who at least probably cheated once on a test, though, when they were younger, or at least did something close to it, but I mean, most people who begged for help to cheat on Omni never wrote a single calculator program (not even Hello World).

On a side note, I really like that splash screen :D
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: ClrDraw on October 08, 2014, 09:45:58 am
Just out of interest, how did you get the name "Anchor"?
Because Anchors stop ships from blowing away, like how an encryptor stops programs from being stolen before they're ready to be released.

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Well, at least in general TI community programmers tend to use more common sense when doing exams. Also, if you cheat on tests then you impair your math skills, which, in the process, impairs your programming skills, since programming requires math. :P
Confession time: back in algebra and precalc I made some BASIC programs (like quadratic solvers, radical simplifiers, etc) to check my answers. But just programming notes into your calc or programs that do your work for you crosses a line I think.
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 09, 2014, 12:42:32 am
At least in Quebec, teachers know how to make exams that are cheating-proof: Basically, there is an entire section of the exam with fewer questions, but that counts for about 75% of the total score, where they require the student to write down the entire solution to the problem, so if you use a program that does everything for you, then you only get 1 point for the answer and you lose all 3 points for the solution, meaning 25% score. I don't know if that changed, but back in the days we could use whatever calc and program we want because of that, and they even let us write down school notes on 1 sheet of paper they provided.

If they did this worlwide, then perhaps we would no longer need restrictions on calculators that can be used in tests.
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: ClrDraw on October 09, 2014, 09:35:21 am
I wish we did that, since I only use it to check my work. But instead we have two parts for our tests, a calculator portion and a non-calculator portion.
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on October 09, 2014, 12:38:15 pm
I see. Over here it's a portion with choice answer-based questions, followed by answer-only questions then the development questions. Cheating during the first half of the test is not a big issue because the score have minimal influence on the total test score. I also saw certain tests with no choice answers nor answer-only questions. Also, only elementary and the first year of hi school disallowed calculator usage in tests.
Title: Re: Anchor Encryption App
Post by: Princetonlion.tibd on October 09, 2014, 09:35:41 pm
My teachers back in PA had us clear the memory for major tests. On minor quizzes/tests, you could use your calc.
BTW that was middle school