Can people really "decode" an .exe?

[krah]

I've heard that people can take an executable file (ya know, an .exe) and use a hacker program or something to that effect that can get the source code from it. Is this possible? Since a compiler sends code one way, I guess it seems possible that another program could just reverse the process... If this is correct though, couldn't encryption programs be destroyed? Passwords could be re-routed to e-mail addresses? This is scary!

Are the stories true, or has Krah just wet his pants over nothing? We'll find out in the replies that follow!

[Sophtware]

You can go to http://www.vpsecurity.com and i think i saw decompilers for vb5 and vb6,
and also i found a program that changes a .exe too .txt and it was made in vb! ..i found it at http://www.planetsourcecode.com

[krah]

What about other languages like QBasic or C++? If these things do exist, what keeps someone from decompiling a professional program (like a $60 game or something), changing it slightly, and passing it off as their's?

[Sam Finch]

The only thing that stops people from diong that is the law, If you were to decompile an Exe and change it slightly you could (I believe still be caugth if there was a large subruotine or something that you didn't change, when the program is copyrighted every subruotine in it is automaticly copyrighted, and if they can prove you've copied that (which wouldn't be hard because they have decompilers as well) then they can get you.

One difficulty is that when you decompile something the code won't be laid out in a very friendly way and won't be commented at all, and none of the variables will have sensible names (nor for that matter will subroutines)

All this will make the code really hard to read and If it's a big complicated program then you really don't have much of a hope of understanding it all before the game becomes outdated (I think if I'd worked hard since the relese I might have Doom decompiled and understood by now)

[krah]

Well, I'm disappointed to hear that it can be done, but I do feel better after what Sam Finch has said.

[AKA]

I can not find a decompiler for VB at http://www.vpsecurity.com but i find a dis-assambler. Quit a diffrent.