ROPfuscator: Robust Obfuscation with ROP. (arXiv:2012.09163v2 [cs.CR] UPDATED)

Software obfuscation plays a crucial role in protecting intellectual property
in software from reverse engineering attempts. While some obfuscation
techniques originate from the obfuscation-reverse engineering arms race, others
stem from different research areas, such as binary software exploitation.
Return-oriented programming (ROP) gained popularity as one of the most
effective exploitation techniques for memory error vulnerabilities. ROP
interferes with our natural perception of a process control flow, inspiring us
to repurpose ROP as a robust and effective form of software obfuscation. …

arms binary control engineering error exploitation flow intellectual property memory obfuscation process process control programming protecting research return reverse reverse engineering role rop software stem techniques vulnerabilities work