Source Code Protection

Source code protection provides defense layers and control procedures against client-side attacks by closing security gaps and protecting the client-side of JavaScript applications from theft. JavaScript code obfuscation is one of the ways to conceal a JavaScript application's inner workings from end users or competitors. If your application’s source code gets stolen, it can cause damage to your organization.

Why is securing source code mandatory?

Source code security should be one of your priorities. Why?

JavaScript powers highly advanced apps in banking, e-commerce, healthcare, and many other high-stakes industries.

Despite its advantages and business value, organizations must update their threat model when using JavaScript-based web and mobile apps.

Source code is vital to building applications, making it valuable proprietary information. Still, it often gets overlooked amid other security considerations.

By default, client-side JavaScript code is exposed.
The end-user can modify and retrieve every piece of code, including code secrets, proprietary algorithms, and functions that handle sensitive data.

Exposing JavaScript code opens the door to client-side attacks and incidents.

  • 97% of web applications use JavaScript.
  • 100% of FORTUNE 500 companies use JavaScript.
  • Over 55% of mobile apps use JavaScript.

 

Finally, application security guides such as those from OWASP highlight the threats posed by reverse engineering and tampering with application source code, especially in applications that handle sensitive data or perform critical operations.

Threats within source code

Security is critical for any application that handles sensitive user information. Personal data is valuable to attackers, and a single security gap can lead to a data breach.

If code is left unprotected, it can lead to:

  • Stolen user credentials;
  • Access to accounts with escalated privileges;
  • Further infection of devices that belong to the user;
  • Stolen intellectual property;
  • Damage the company’s reputation.

 

So, what are the risks of JavaScript exposure?
We identify two main scenarios:

 

1. Debugging and Tampering

Application security guides, such as those from OWASP, highlight reverse-engineering and tampering threats to application source code.

This is especially true for JavaScript-powered applications, where attacks include intellectual property theft, automated abuse, piracy, and data exfiltration.

Attackers exploit client-side security flaws to change data, hijack sessions, and make arbitrary JavaScript changes on the page, compromising the security of the original code.

2. Data Exfiltration and Other Client-Side Attacks

We have been seeing a growing surge of web supply chain attacks, such as Magecart attacks, flooding the web and leveraging the client side to exfiltrate data.

Going beyond the security risks of attackers targeting the JavaScript source code, we must consider the dangers of arbitrary JavaScript execution in the browser.

How to protect JavaScript from hackers?

If attackers have easy access to an app’s source code, they can distribute dozens or hundreds of copycats via third-party websites or apps.

To counter this and other security liabilities, explore resilient source code protection that obfuscates the source code to hinder reverse engineering and adds runtime defenses to prevent tampering, thwarting copycats and locking attackers out.

JavaScript obfuscation aims to protect JavaScript code. It provides an essential layer of defense against client-side attacks by making it extremely hard for anyone to reverse-engineer the code. Then, you should add additional runtime defenses to increase the cost of attacks. Discover more about JavaScript obfuscator tools.

How can development teams ensure that their source code is protected?
The answer lies in source code protection, both JavaScript and native code, with a combination of obfuscation, environmental checks, and runtime defenses.

Related Resources

Glossary

Source Code Watermarking

In this digitalized world, software development is a common endeavor, and it is most commonly performed in a team with subteams dispersed around the world working remotely. While this is a positive development, it also creates risk, most often in the form of intellectual property (IP) theft. One method being employed to safeguard this priceless IP is source code watermarking.

Read More_ Glossary

Supply Chain Attack

A supply chain attack takes place when a malicious actor infiltrates a system by taking advantage of the security weaknesses of one or more of its vendors or external partners. This type of attack is highly prevalent in Information and Communication Technology (hardware, software, and firmware) and can take place at any point within the supply chain. The main goals of supply chain attacks generally include causing the system to malfunction, gaining unauthorized access to information, leaking sensitive data, or using the system’s resources for illegitimate purposes.

Read More_ Glossary

Supply Chain Security

Organizations depend on international suppliers, third parties, digital platforms, and logistics partners to deliver products and services effectively. Nevertheless, this sophistication also exposes one to security threats. Supply chain security mitigates risks by preventing disruptions or compromises to goods, data, systems, and processes. Supply chain security has become a top priority for businesses across industries as the number of cyberattacks, fraud, and operational disruptions increases.

Read More_