How to prepend PHP file to ionCubed script

Question

I've prepend a PHP file to all of script files using php.ini config:

auto_prepend_file = "./file.php"

Then I got this error while running script:

Site error: the file /home/user/public_html/path/index.php requires the
ionCube PHP Loader ioncube_loader_lin_5.3.so to be installed by the website
operator. If you are the website operator please use the ionCube Loader Wizard
to assist with installation.

Since the script is encoded by ionCube, is there any way to make this okay?

---

just for more details, here is the file.php contents:

<?php
    $_SERVER['SERVER_ADDR'] = '100.101.102.103';
    $_ENV['SERVER_ADDR'] = '100.101.102.103';
    $HTTP_SERVER_VARS['SERVER_ADDR'] = '100.101.102.103';
?>

Answer 1

You need to setup the ionCube PHP Loader as the error message is telling you.

1. Download the appropriate loader from here: http://www.ioncube.com/loaders.php

2. Follow the docs to get it setup: http://www.ioncube.com/loader_installation.php

3. There is a loader wizard that helps with the setup: http://www.ioncube.com/loader-wizard/loader-wizard.zip

Once you have the ionCube PHP Loader working, the encoded script should just work.

Answer 2

Doing what you are trying, with a prepend script to modify SERVER_NAME and SERVER_ADDR, is definitely a way that can defeat licensing solutions written in PHP. However this would not work for ionCube licensing because collection of the data used in license validation is performed before any PHP code is run. Other solutions are likely to work similarly, and is one of the advantages of a native licensing solution over a home-brew DIY approach.

Talking to the seller and not asking how to defeat a licensing scheme is the correct and morally responsible way to approach your problem.