On Software Protection Dongles
Tuesday, 26. January 2010. 04:44 von offsiteam.com

Part 1 A war between copy protection and piracy are PiracyCopy and conflicts, are still fighting. When a new technology is introduced into the copy and the corresponding counterpart sword to the research community. Without a very long time, this so-called “new technology” can be cracked. It is a truth in the world. It is ridiculous to say that is a product of “un-crack in a position,” because we can know everything in the world will be reversed, but the problem is, efficiency and time. If we had a powerful computer (it is) just a guess, and we were smart enough (if we were lucky), then we would crack each algorithm. Might think that our assumption is not realistic, but we should seriously on this issue. Since that war is always there is not a fighter stop fighting, we should explain this issue for a scientific and realistic point of view. Above all, we can say that no software is complete “un-able to crack.” We have discussed this topic before. Second, for software developers or manufacturers, the only job they can do is to improve the software copy protection, and make it more difficult. There is a balance between software protection and piracy. If the cost of cracking overrides (or too high), the cost of software, cracking this software becomes a meaningless job, nobody wants it no longer to crack. Third, the point of software developers, “Looking at what it actually does, not for the protection of software, the ultimate goal is to make the maximum profit. To keep the maximum profit from the software, is the only reason, and the Most companies that they run on the developers to protect software. When we look at the issue from this page, we can say “copy” is just a side effect associated with the commercial purpose. In the next installment will present, we will give you a detailed ProtectionHere of software protection. Part 2 Copy A review of the software, we can identify some techniques to software copy protection. The general aim of the software copy protection is to prevent un-authorized use of software. So we can say, all proceedings or actions is to prevent un-authorized use of software copy protection software. We can classify software copy protection into 3 main types. The first is “software” based. This type of protection is purely software-based and requires no additional metadata. The members of this type) are typical serial number, software Packers (also known as shell or envelope. Serial numberEnd users can only the software or the full functionality of the software if and only if the user is proper (or rational) serial number. The advantage of such protection, making it simple and cheap. While this is to crack copy protection is not a difficult task for a professional hacker. If we find the authentication code into the file, then we can turn around and A general cracker against it. PackersPacking a software is a very common method to protect software. It is easy and without any additional programming job. developers have only a few simple click is that the benefit of pure software-based protection is cost. In general, it is relatively cheap. While on the other hand, the disadvantage is easy to see, or we can tell, the disadvantage is obvious that they can be easily cracked. As we said before, nothing is un-able to crack when we all leave the protection of end-user side, we open everything to can bypass the hacker, the way to your shelter eventually find. ——————— —————————– ——————— —————————– —————–| good | bad ——————— |—————————- —————————– ——————— 1st easy crack ——————-| | 1 easy to | | 2 bargain | 2 weak | license control | 3 | Just for piracy | — —— ——————————————– —— ——————————————– —————- The second possibility is to protect the “On-Line License”. You can find this form of protection from everywhere, just as “On-Line Activation” Windows XP Pro and Engineering … This kind of protection requires a license server that contains the database of license / activation key. It not only gives a central controller for the license. you need a start / fees for the first budget line license as an additional server is required and can also share them with other servers. Compared with “software-based” protection “on-line license” is better. You can use the convenience of the licensing system and a higher security. costs are a little higher, and start / initial investment is a must. This protection is for the major software vendors who need more than 5000 thousands of copies a year and sell a broad license control well. —- ———————————————- —- ———————————————- —- ————-| good | bad |—————————- —- ———————————————- —- easy ————————————| 1st | 1st easy to crack | | 2 relatively low costs 2 | fixed systems | | 3 centralize license control | 3 |—————————– relatively high cost —————- ———————————- —————- ———————– The last type of software protection “software dongle “or what we call hardware-based protection, protection dongle, software copy protection dongle, etc. This type of protection might be the best, and there may be up to the software vendors’ revenue. Is a software dongle crack un-able? The answer must be no, but why it is best? It’s easy, because it can be up to the software vendors’ revenue. OK, now we are repeating the same phrase twice, only for emphasizing this point. Let me explain it in detail. First, why do we need software protection? only for anti-piracy? No, the anti-piracy is not real or the root reason is the ultimate goal to benefit. We want to make money from the software while the software is not pirated bring any profit to us, therefore, must we are to combat piracy. Now let get back to the protection of software, is the ultimate goal of software protection to the profit-to Protect. Can a software dongle maximum revenue and how? To explain this question, we must explain how we sell software. Today, we sell our software distributors or sell direct over the Internet. We call it channel. The software client is the direct sales channel. The fact is that we do not know how many software sold been what the price for each copy. We only collect money from this program, and verify the number with what they correct to argue. If no dongle, we do not have the specific number that we know only that the sale of this software, but we are at loss when the face to the number of copies we do not know how to get the license for the control of reproduction. In this sense, the first use of a software dongle to the given number. You can tell if the software is pirated in the end-user side, the software vendor will get nothing. Good question, but thinking from a software vendor perspective, we should not and can not tolerate the piracy of the Earth to cultivate disappear. pirated software just a good place for software vendors in the market. For a software vendor, especially a CAD / CAM / CAE vendors, their customers, a company / institute / university, or simply a poor student / developer? The answer is too simple. The real customers, the people who buy e or software to buy i. the company that can afford these programs. The people who can not afford the software is only potential Customers can not buy the software immediately. This kind of people who might buy your software in the future if they can feel good, but it’s now not the right time. If you want to grow the market, they use a illegal copy is not a bad choice. Remember, you can make the words “money from people with money.” Finally, we should be the one point clear, if we money from the people who can earn the money, it is the point we are our maximum profit. dongle software, you can hedge in the implementation of various software. We will discuss this issue in the next chapter. Well, let me summarize software dongles. ———– ————————————— ———– ————————————— ———– ——| Good | ———– |—————————- bad ————————————— ———– —————————–| 1st better protection 1 | the relatively high cost | | 2 more resources 2 | provide more time | | 3 require flexible protection systems | 3 programming skills |———————————- ———— ————————————– ———— ———————- The following table shows the different target clients vs. software protection method — ————- ————————————- ————- ————————————- ————- – | pure software-based protection | 1 low-cost software (price is less than 10 USD) | | | 2 Demo | | | 3 free software (on Donations ago) |—————————————— —- ———————————————- —- ———————| an online license protection | 1 low-cost large-volume software (price is less than 50 U.S. dollars, the volume More than 1000 copies. | | | 2 |———————— Shareware ————– ———————————— ————– —————————–| Dongle Protection | 1st-cost software (price is more than U.S. $ 50) | | | 2nd volume software, which license need control | | | 3 custom software | | | 4 ———– |————— Shareware ————————————— ———– ————————————— – From the table we can see, based dongle protection covers more area and give you a better place for growth. If it is affordable, you’d better decide dongle protection. Part 4 Software Protection Regulations in this area, we will discuss the protection of software systems, and also how those systems with software dongles. software protection systems for implementation based on the software sales model. In order to make better arrangements, you should also know the software function, distribution model, and target customers. Sales per function. It is common for a software consists of several functions, for example, consists of Office Word, PowerPoint, Excel … a customer can purchase all or some function of them. dongle you can use software to control this License. The rule will require this function in dongle as a “module” or “License Module” software lease software lease, most based on time. So a timing dongle. There are not too many dongle with embedded real-time clock. They to some simple tricks to check the time, for example, whether the Internet time server. The real-time dongle is a good choice. You can refer to HASP-time. But the costs are high. limitationTo software only runs the software run a certain time can, for example, ended after 50 times, run the software. dongle Some suppliers offer decreasing function, you can benefit from it. Otherwise, decrease this number and write it back to the dongle ever. credentialsSave software digital credentials to the dongle, it will bring your best protection. check not only whether the dongle is to have some thing in dongle. But beware, the data should be encrypted if the dongle is an encryption engine, it would be perfectly Participate. the dongle in computationThe proper protection is to consider only whether the dongle is there. This protection is really the week. If you can involve the dongle into a calculation that they will give your really good effect. dongles Some have a computer engine that can execute a particular algorithm in dongle, it would be a better choice. dongle Some manufacturers offer some cook books or other reference to software protection, you can find them, they are professional indeed. Part 5 How to choose software Protection Dongles there are about 20 software vendors dongle all over the world. The large number in this area is Aladdin (http://www. Aladdin. com.) was acquired as rainbow by safety-net, they lost the first position. Now choose as a dongle, is another matter. We can not say that the biggest supplier offering the best product. The best product is the product that will meet your requirements. In the following section we will focus on how a dongle Choose from discuss various aspects. PriceDoubtless to say, the price is always the first topic. We have just the most popular sellers dongle as an example. HASP’s expensive, more than $ 20 level. sentinel is similar, but 1 or $ 2 a less . WIBU (http://www. WIBU. com) is almost the same with Sentinel (http://www. SafeNet-Inc. com). Eutron (http://www. Eutron. com) is 10-20 USD level and with similar UniKey (http://www. eSecuTech. com). you can offer a special dongle provider if you have a really high volume customers. Interface There are several types of dongles, LPT, PS / 2, serial, USB and even PCI cards. Based on my experience, USB would be the best choice, since 95% goes to computer with USB ports. SupportSince protection of software is a job need experience, you should know, support is also part of the product. Before Buy it, you should check to see if the support is really good. Try to get more suggestions from its support engineers. If you think the support is not good, you’d better find an alternative to avoid further problems . qualityIt size is shown that most dongles are manufactured in China. But it seems that if the production will be controlled through a better management, the product is better. If under poor management, the result is poor quality . It is recommended to choose an international brand, and with the pure Chinese make, they are cheap too careful. FunctionsThe dongle feature can help protect the software systems to implement. The main task is to read and write. All dongles have this function. If you want to implement another function, you should consult the support engineer software dongle providers. When the dongle only read / write function, it is not a real dongle, it’s just a toy. Trouble shooting after You buy dongles dongles, and send with your software, you will support the hardware key for your customers. If you have a problem meeting people, you’re helping them to trouble shoot the problem. The most common problem is the “Dongle not found” problem , ie, after customers install the driver and insert the dongle, say the software is still found no dongle. It is a headache dongle for software vendors. But it seems we find a better solution now. Entron UniKey and offer so-called “Driverless” dongles, which does not necessarily install a driver. It is a HID (Human Interface Device), such as a mouse to work. This type of dongle for a better solution than traditional dongles. Part 5 Conclusion In this simple paper to discuss we are the sensitive issue on software protection and an overview of dongle protection. I just want my experience in this field with other developers. hope you can share it to enjoy it.








