An IPA already contains compiled code: why that is not secrecy

Platform integrity and logic secrecy differ

Apple documents signing, runtime and distribution protections. These mechanisms do not establish that a proprietary algorithm cannot be understood. A working application must execute instructions and produce results; images, text and configuration can also explain its structure.

Ask what actually changes

Ask whether the input is native Swift, a script, managed code or resources. Then identify transformed methods and remaining strings or runtime metadata. Compare the same core behaviors before and after protection. A changed extension, larger package or ugly decompiler output is not an outcome measure.

Your checklist

• Identify the representation per module.
• Keep original and protected package hashes.
• Judge behavior recovery, not decompiler appearance.