Cawdog

Project information

CAWODOG is a proof-of-concept project demonstrating how to protect Python-based AI models deployed on offline industrial machines. Across three progressive steps (0 → 2), the project shows:

how a naïve Python AI application can be trivially reverse-engineered, how attackers can extract models from packaged binaries, and how to harden an AI deployment using ONNX conversion, model encryption, and a separated runtime engine.

The PoC uses a playful dog-detector model (the “Cat World Dominance Group”) to illustrate real industrial IP-protection concepts that apply to AI-driven control systems, such as Starlinger’s StarX platform.

It serves as a reference implementation for the accompanying whitepaper “Hardening Python IP for Offline Industrial AI Deployments.

Python security