Code Obfuscated Compilation Method Based on Mimic Defense

Existing code obfuscation techniques introduce bogus control flow and string obfuscation to conceal program logic and hardcoded sensitive information but exhibit insufficient code semantic obfuscation and recognizable obfuscation patterns. To this end, a code obfuscated compilation method based on mimic defense is proposed. This method incorporates mimic control flow and string dynamic obfuscation. Mimic control flow inserts two types of branches: mimic branches, which disguise other programs' functionality, and shadow branches, which are functionally equivalent but heterogeneous. To prevent the exposure of hardcoded sensitive information, a runtime on-demand decryption strategy is proposed. Strings are first encoded using MBA expression and decrypted only when necessary. Mimic substitution in the data segment further misleads reverse analysis. A prototype was implemented, and experiments were conducted on programs from benchmark dataset and real-world project. Results show this method effectively obfuscates code structure and semantics, enhancing resistance to reverse analysis within bounded spatiotemporal overhead.