Abstract: In the present disclosure, a hash function is computed over a known image, for example, an address range in a program. The result of the hash function is known to be the same at two distinct points in time, before the program is run, i.e. signing at build-time, and during the running of the program, i.e. run time. The value that the programmer wishes to hide, i.e. the secret value, is also known at build-time. At build-time, the secret value is combined with the hash in such a way that the combining operation can be reversed at run time. This combined value, i.e. the salt, is stored along with the program. Later, at runtime, the program computes the same hash value as was computed at signing time, and does the reverse combining operation in order to reveal the secret value.