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DexProtector
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DexProtector Studio

Overview

DexProtector Studio is our desktop application, included with every DexProtector license. Studio offers a straightforward GUI where you can control every aspect of the DexProtector protection process. Studio allows you to:

  • activate your DexProtector license
  • observe DexProtector’s analysis of your input file
  • configure the protection settings for your project
  • create protection profiles
  • visualize exactly how DexProtector’s protection mechanisms are applied to your code and resources
  • manage your Alice integration

Using DexProtector Studio: DexProtector JAR and License File

Managing DexProtector JAR and License File

If the DexProtector JAR file is not in the same folder as DexProtector Studio, you will have to specify its location before you can begin using Studio:

You can view and manage your license status by clicking License Info at the bottom right of the opening window.

And if you have not yet activated your license, you can do so here.

Activating your license via Studio (online)

  1. Click on ‘License Info’ to the right of the bar at the bottom of the window.
  2. Click ‘Activate License’ and follow the instructions in the new window. To activate your license and obtain a license file online, simply enter the unique, single-use activation code provided in the email with your download links. If you don’t have an active Internet connection, or prefer offline activation, see how to Activate via DexProtector Studio (offline).
  3. After successful activation, the license file dexprotector.licel will be created in the user's home folder.

Activating your license via Studio (offline)

  1. Click on ‘License Info’ to the right of the bar at the bottom of the window.
  2. Click ‘Activate License’ and follow the instructions in the new window. If you don’t have an active Internet connection, or have prefer offline activation, enter the unique, single-use activation code provided in the email with your download links, and then click ‘Generate activation request’.
  3. When you have entered a valid activation code, a request code will be generated. Email this request code to our support team. You will receive a response code as soon as possible, within a maximum of 1 business day.
  4. When you have received your response code, return to the same ‘Activate License’ window, and click ‘I Already Have My Activation Response Code’. In the following window, enter the response code you’ve received and click ‘Activate’ to complete the license activation procedure.
  5. After successful activation, the license file dexprotector.licel will be created in the user's home folder.

Protecting your APK, AAB, or AAR with DexProtector Studio

Protection Recommendations

We strongly recommend making use of all of the security features provided, as each element of protection adds more security and more resistance against malware, reverse engineering, tampering, and Man-in-the-Middle attacks.

DexProtector configuration is by means of a single XML file, which can be edited directly or via the DexProtector Studio interface.

A default configuration file (dexprotector.xml) can be found in the root folder of the distribution package, but every app (or SDK) has different requirements. We therefore also strongly recommend that you tailor your configuration, in order to target sensitive code and resources for protection, and to enable the Runtime Application Self-Protection and network security mechanisms that DexProtector offers.

DexProtector Studio offers an intuitive interface to guide you through configuring and managing your protection process. It offers descriptions and hints for each protection mechanism in its 'Protection settings' windows, and allows you to apply your chosen settings at a click. These settings are then defined instantly and automatically in the configuration XML file, ready to be applied when the DexProtector process is run.

For more detailed information on the protection mechanisms and how to apply them, it will be helpful also to read through our guide to configuring DexProtector, including a detailed overview of the configuration file, on setting filters to target code and resources for protection, on configuring DexProtector for Android applications, and on configuring DexProtector for Android libraries and SDKs.

Note: For some features, a DexProtector Enterprise license is required. For more information, see our feature comparison for DexProtector Standard and DexProtector Enterprise.

Load Package for Protection

The first window allows you to specify your DexProtector inputs, in the form of the package you will be protecting, and an initial configuration file, which can be edited later through Studio. You can select either the default configuration included in the distribution package, or a customized configuration XML of your choice.

Here, the file to be loaded for protection is an APK, and a custom configuration file is selected.

Manage Protection Settings

After clicking 'Open file and apply preferences', you can view your analyzed package structure and manage your protection settings.

You can also apply code and resource protection mechanisms (Class Encryption, Hide Access, String Encryption, Resource Encryption) directly through the overview of the package structure by selecting the class or file and using the filter toggles:

The 'Protection settings' window gives you an overview of all configuration options; you can manage all protection mechanisms and apply filters through the interface elements:

Or by editing the configuration XML manually. Any changes to the configuration XML made through Studio can be saved at any time, including after the protection process.

When you are satisfied with your protection configuration, you can see an analysis of what in the package will be protected by selecting the 'Overview' tab. In this example, all 2461 of 2461 classes are targeted for protection, as well as all the methods and strings they contain; the signing mode is 'Debug'; and Public Key Pinning and reporting to Alice are both enabled:

Run Protection and View Protection Results

Then click 'Run protection' and you can observe the DexProtector process as it occurs. This should only take several seconds.

Afterwards, you can easily view the the protection log, the path to the protected package, and an overview of recent protection results:

And when you are finished, you can save your newly created configuration profile to be referenced, reused, or adapted later:

NextCompleting the DexProtector Process
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