TikEn, an encrypter for tclkit starpacks

Authored by Pasquale TikEn is an encrypter/obfuscator for tclkit. It encrypts the codes inside a starpack making them unreadable from human. As tcl users know, a starpack is easy to unpack and then everyone could read the codes; with TikEn now is not more possible, the codes are protected keeping the same performances of the unencrypted.

TikEn is distributed as starpack that is encrypted by itself. Latest version is 1.4.

RLE (2015-07-01): You've failed to mention, either here or on the linked webpage, that your system is windows only (and 32-bit windows only at that). Decrypting relies on executing a windows 32-bit executable, which means it will fail to work on Linux and MacOS.

Pasquale (2015-07-01): Yes, it is only for Windows 32-bit, for now.

Pasquale (2015-07-03): My main goal is to make code unreadable and to keep performances. The encryption works well however is highly suggested to use only the standard latin (english) alphabet, it is programmed to encrypt only pure code.

Pasquale (2015-07-05): Update with a new encryption algorithm, now is more sure.

DeCryptor: The encryption is not secure. It is a simple poly-alphabetic substitution cipher, which is trivial to brute force by trial and error. As an example of how trivial it is to reverse, here is a decrypted 'main.tcl' from the encrypted starkit:

# TikEn 1.4 - FREEWARE  #
# Tclkit Code Encrypter #

*Code snipped*

Pasquale 2015-07-06 21:03:47: My goal is to make code unreadable and to keep performances......

dbohdan 2015-07-07 12:55: I have restored DeCryptor's warning with your code removed. The criticism in that warning is true, useful to the reader and mildly worded, so I think it is fair that it not be reverted.

MG It sounds like it's not actually encrypted, just obfusticated, then?

Pasquale: I will try with another algorithm.

DeCryptor: Before you do, be mindful of this quote from Cory Doctorow:

"For DRM to work, you have to send a scrambled message (say, a movie) to your customer, then give your customer a program to unscramble it. Anyone who wants to can become your customer simply by downloading your player or buying your device – "anyone" in this case includes the most skilled technical people in the world. From there, your adversary's job is to figure out where in the player you've hidden the key that is used to unscramble the message (the movie, the ebook, song, etc). Once she does that, she can make her own player that unscrambles your files." http://www.theguardian.com/technology/blog/2014/feb/05/digital-rights-management