Frequently Asked Questions
The Frequently Asked Questions provides an index of the most recent and popular Amayeta Software FAQs.
- Can I lock a SWF to a specific domain?
- How much smaller will SWF Compress make my SWF Files?
- Is there any loss of Performance with Compressed SWFs?
- Can I encrypt SWFs created with SwishMax?
- What does 12 months of Support and Updates include?
- What are the limitations of the Trial Version?
- Can I use Encrypted SWFs with 3rd Party Flash Tools?
- Will SWF Encrypt protect my SWF Resources (Images, Movies etc)?
- What exactly is a Flash/SWF Decompiler?
- Why do I need to encrypt my Flash SWF Files?
- Is there any loss of Performance with Encrypted SWFs?
- Are Encrypted SWF Files 100% Secure?
Why do I need to encrypt my Flash SWF Files?
The Adobe SWF File Format falls under the "Open File Format" category. This means there is no native protection and anyone can easily "peek" at the ActionScript code and contents of the SWF file using Flash Decompiler Tools. These tools break open the resources that make up a SWF file and can display the full source code, objects and other elements which make up the SWF. Some Flash Decompilers can even reproduce the entire FLA (Flash Source File) from a single unprotected SWF.
Until now, the only method of ActionScript protection was to implement various obfuscation techniques. Obfuscation is a process that makes compiled ActionScript very difficult to read back and understand. For example, a simple function may be split into several smaller functions which reside within each other, making the code difficult to understand.
Whilst obfuscation can help to "complicate" the code and make it more difficult to reproduce or copy, the actual ActionScript can STILL be viewed in Flash Decompilers. Furthermore, sensitive data such as passwords, log in details, server names etc are still visible, which limits the effectiveness of obfuscation by itself.