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If you’ve spent countless hours developing your EA in MQL4, the last thing you want is for someone to steal or copy your hard work. Securing your EA is a critical step to protect your intellectual property. But how do you do it effectively? Let’s dive into some practical solutions!
Note: While EX4 files can still be decompiled by advanced users, combining this with additional layers of protection makes it much harder.
Note: Users must allow DLL imports for this to work. Ensure your users trust your EA.
Pro Tip: No security measure is 100% foolproof, but a multi-layered approach makes it extremely difficult for anyone to misuse or copy your EA.
What security measures do you use to protect your trading tools? Let’s discuss!
Always distribute the compiled version (.EX4) of your EA, not the source code (.MQ4). The EX4 file is harder to reverse-engineer.
Note: While EX4 files can still be decompiled by advanced users, combining this with additional layers of protection makes it much harder.
One of the best ways to protect your EA is by using a licensing system. Here’s how it works:
- Account Locking: Restrict the EA to work only with specific trading account numbers. Use the AccountNumber() function in MQL4 to check the user’s account.
- Time-Based Licensing: Allow access to the EA for a limited period (e.g., a subscription model).
- Server Validation: Require the EA to communicate with a remote server to validate the license.
Another advanced option is to integrate your EA with a dynamic-link library (DLL).
- Critical parts of your logic can be offloaded to the DLL.
- The DLL can then handle key functionalities, making it harder for attackers to decompile and understand your EA’s logic.
Note: Users must allow DLL imports for this to work. Ensure your users trust your EA.
If you want maximum security, consider a dongle system.
- The EA will only work when the user plugs in a physical dongle.
- While this method is expensive, it offers top-notch protection.
Use encryption to hide sensitive parts of your EA logic.
- Combine this with obfuscation to make the code unreadable and more challenging to reverse-engineer.
Monitor and Update Regularly
- Keep an eye on any unauthorized use of your EA.
- Regularly update your EA with new security patches or improved protection mechanisms.
Pro Tip: No security measure is 100% foolproof, but a multi-layered approach makes it extremely difficult for anyone to misuse or copy your EA.What security measures do you use to protect your trading tools? Let’s discuss!