Remove ILSpy from Linqpad install?

simsl

Hi,

With the new versions of Linqpad, ILSpy is now baked into the install.
For the use case we have, decompilers cannot be present. Is there a way to remove the decompiler in any way?

I've had a look in the .exe with 7zip but the files seems to be obscured from being visible beyond a certain point, making it hard to find any named files for this functionality to rip out.

Thanks in advance!

JoeAlbahari

You won't be able to easily change LINQPad.exe because you'll lose the signature and this will prevent drivers, etc from working.

Can I ask why decompilers cannot be present in your use case? ILSpy adds only 2MB to the size of LINQPad.exe, and is incredibly useful, especially in the premium edition when you can hit F12 on any symbol and go straight to the definition.

simsl

Hi Joe,
Thanks for the response.
We work in an extremely security conscious network, and one of the restrictions is to disallow decompilers on any/all workstations unless explicitly required.

We've had LINQPad in use for a while and we've been very happy with it, but without a way to remove the decompiler functionality I fear we'll be stuck with old versions.

If the problem would just be to recalculate signatures, I would put forward a suggestion that a "No Decompiler" edition may be possible to be provided?

I understand this particular use case is very niche, however I am sure it is not unique, but without a way for ILSpy to be removed we will likely have to stop updating the program, and by extension stop buying new LINQPad premium licenses as it falls out of use.

Thanks.

JoeAlbahari

Have you thought about blocking ILSpy.exe with group policy?

JoeAlbahari

I've just tested blocking it via group policy and it works fine:
https://www.technipages.com/prevent-users-from-running-certain-programs

Add ILSpy.exe to the blocked programs list, and LINQPad won't be able to start it.