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I've the following scenario:

I've written some programming code which I own, but I lost the source code, however I've binary which was created by the compiler.

Can I simply decode my own binary code back to the source code if I know how to do it?

Here are the technical details to reproduce that scenario on the computer:

  1. Write a dummy program:

    $ echo "void start() { }" > foo.mq4

  2. I've downloaded the compiler (without accepting any agreement):

    $ curl -O https://download.mql5.com/cdn/web/metaquotes.software.corp/mt5/mql.exe

  3. Compile the program (which generated encrypted foo.ex4 binary file):

    $ mql.exe /mql4 foo.mq4
MQL4/MQL5 Compiler build 1162 (02 Jul 2015)
Copyright 2001-2015, MetaQuotes Software Corp.
foo.mq4 : information: Compiling 'foo.mq4'
Result: 0 error(s), 0 warning(s)

  4. I lost my source code:

    $ rm -v foo.mq4
removed ‘foo.mq4’

  5. I'm trying to decompile the binary file using a tool to recover my source code:

    $ ./decompiler foo.ex4

Is that perfectly fine to do that, or not? Or it depends, if so, on what?

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2
  • One thing it very certainly depends on is which jurisdiction applies.
    – Philipp
    Commented Sep 10, 2015 at 15:47
  • In your very simple example there are no libraries linked in. There may be (probably is) terms in the compiler EULA that prohibit reverse engineering libraries supplied with the compiler.
    – Spehro 'speff' Pefhany
    Commented Nov 15, 2016 at 21:19

1 Answer 1

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I certainly don't see why this would not be legal. If you wrote a novel in English and paid someone to translate it into Spanish you could translate it back if you want.

The copyright scenario is they have copyright in the compiler; you own the copyright in the input and output of it. The compiler's creators have no claim on the output because there is none of their creativity in it.

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  • Unless you use publishing company which prevents your from doing so in their Publishing Agreement.
    – kenorb
    Commented Sep 10, 2015 at 21:01
  • @kenorb not relevant, assume a self or unpublished work
    – Dale M ♦
    Commented Sep 10, 2015 at 21:04
  • In here I believe by compiling the program, I automatically accept the agreement. So potentially I could not have rights to decompile the binary, as I didn't create that kind of output on my own, but by using copyrighted program.
    – kenorb
    Commented Sep 10, 2015 at 21:08
  • 1
    I think your last statement merits further support: Can a copyrighted compiler assert copyright over its output? I think the answer is no because the output is always a "derivative work." But perhaps the best answer on that sort of question was provided by you so can you confirm/clarify?
    – feetwet ♦
    Commented Sep 11, 2015 at 18:52
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    @kenorb I don't see how that could apply to using a work you already lawfully possess and that you obtained possession of without agreeing to anything. That would be like buying a book, reading it, and then finding that the back page said, "by reading this book ...". By distributing the work without any EULA, I would think they authorized the ordinary use of the work by lawful recipients.
    – David Schwartz
    Commented Sep 17, 2015 at 12:17

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