To discuss this rationally you have to first think of pre-V5R1 and V5R1
and beyond "program models". I used quotes in the previous sentence
because I'm using my own definition of program model.
When you compile a program (pre- or post V5R1), you end up with 3 types
of the things in the PGM object: 1) source statements, 2) creation
templates, and 3) object code. The object code was always available.
Anyone willing and able to read object code and produce source
statements (manually or automatically) could do that pre- or post- V5R1.
Pre-V5R1, when observability was removed, items 1 and 2 were removed
from the PGM object. Removing creation templates at that time was done
not so much for protecting intellectual property as it was to save disk
space. This left the object code which, as stated above, could still be
reverse engineered.
At V5R1, IBM began removing only the source code statements. Starting in
V5R1 removing observability only removes the source code statements, not
the creation templates.
From a "protecting intellectual property" point of view, the question
is "do creation templates make it easier for someone to steal
intellectual property in the form of source code?" The answer is a
great big no. Creation templates are much more difficult to reverse
engineer than object code. They do not contain programming statements,
but templates of information read by the trusted translator. One reason
is that the creation template format is not published as machine
instructions are. Another is that creation templates are compressed
using a proprietary algorithm to save space.
None of this means that creation templates CAN'T be reverse engineered.
All it means is that someone wishing to steal your intellectual property
will find it much easier to do so by reverse engineer the machine code
rather than the creation templates.
Is there an INCREASED probability of your intellectual property being
stolen because creation templates are saved when observability is
removed? No. The probability of this happening is the same as before.
Patrick Botz
Vice President, Security Consulting
Group8 Security, Inc
Business : 1-775-852-8887
Home/Office: 1-507-285-9048
Mobile : 1-507-250-5644
http://www.group8security.com
mailto:Pat.Botz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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