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How I Forensically Analyzed a macOS App That Ripped Off My Open-Source Project

February 24, 2026

I'm the author of Apple Notes Exporter, a free and open-source macOS app for bulk exporting Apple Notes. In early 2026, someone was selling a repackaged version of my app under the name 'Notes Exporter Pro' for $9.99, with every trace of my name and the MIT license stripped from the binary. Here's exactly how I confirmed it -- from basic string extraction all the way to Ghidra decompilation.