[logback-user] Substituting class/method names in logback log files with original names when deploying obfuscated code

[ceki]

Hi Christopher,

It think writing a custom conversion specifier [1] is really the way
to go here.  Let's assume the converter is called
ObfuscatedClassConverter.  You would place the mapping in
ObfuscatedClassConverter or in some other resource that
ObfuscatedClassConverter looks up at run time. Once
ObfuscatedClassConverter has the class mapping it would output caller
class name similar to what ClassOfCallerConverter [2] does.

As discussed in [1], you can register a conversion specifier in a
configuration file. You can also register a specifier programmatically
by populating the pattern rule registry. See ConversionRuleAction [3]
for details. Alternatively, you could also access PatternLayout's
defaultConverterMap directly.

HTH,

[1] http://logback.qos.ch/manual/layouts.html#customConversionSpecifier
[2] 
http://logback.qos.ch/xref/ch/qos/logback/classic/pattern/ClassOfCallerConverter.html
[3] 
http://logback.qos.ch/xref/ch/qos/logback/core/joran/action/ConversionRuleAction.html

-- 
Ceki
http://twitter.com/#!/ceki

On 05.12.2011 12:26, Christopher BROWN wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I've not yet found an answer to my question (I did get some suggestions
> back but no solution), so if anyone can help...
>
> So far, by investigating myself, it appears that I could either replace
> PatternLayout (but that means basically forking code with all the
> associated drawbacks) or use something like ClassicConverter (but I
> didn't see how do override just the parts of the layout I need, the ANSI
> colour example wraps the whole line... maybe I missed something).  The
> conversion word "replace" doesn't seem to be a scalable solution (and
> furthermore, it's static whereas the application is OSGi-based therefore
> JARs can be reloaded at runtime with modified contents).
>
> I'm stuck!
>
> One suggestion I did get back was to keep the obfuscated code mapping
> outside of the runtime environment, and decode "in house" stacktraces
> when a customer sends us log files containing stacktraces with
> obfuscated class/method names.  This suggestion does not provide the
> solution, as we can't be sure that we match versions (version reported
> by customer and version of class/method name mappings), so the "package
> the mapping file in the JAR" is still the most reliable from that point
> of view.
>
> Also, another reply pointed out that if the mapping is in the JAR, then
> it effectively renders useless the obfuscation: regarding that remark,
> yes, it makes it easier to restore the original source code, however the
> aim isn't a naive "total security" approach, it's primarily to
> discourage casual use and most of all, to encourage our customers not to
> link to obfuscated code, as we deliver a public non-obfuscated API, and
> it's a way of discouraging people taking shortcuts (because they
> unfortunately do and they can end up making their own code more prone to
> breakage by fiddling with internals and by having things change during
> upgrades).
>
> So a solution remains relevant.
>
> Thanks,
> Christopher
>
>
> On 28 November 2011 16:31, Christopher BROWN <brown at reflexe.fr
> <mailto:brown at reflexe.fr>> wrote:
>
>     Hello,
>
>     What would be the best way to handle logging with logback when
>     deploying obfuscated code?
>
>     For example, with YGuard, when the obfuscator runs, it outputs a
>     mapping file of obfuscated code (class names, method names, etc) to
>     unobfuscated code.  When a stacktrace or just any logging trace is
>     output, the class/method names are obviously obfuscated.  As it's
>     possible to deploy this mapping with the code, say embedded in the
>     same ".jar", all the information I would need is available.
>
>     Without too much re-writing of code (default formatting with
>     logback), what would be the best way to dynamically replace matching
>     class/method names?
>
>     Thanks,
>     Christopher
>