1. RE: Registering and copy protection
- Posted by rforno at tutopia.com
Oct 27, 2002
Hi, Tony.
I do not have programs on the net to be downloaded, except one for which I
use a very particular scheme of protection linked to what the program does,
and so it is very difficult to crack. However, nobody asked for the
program... :(.
I think that if your program is not very popular, nobody will worry to crack
it, and so probably it is sure. You know that there are sites in the web
that crack protections and offer serial numbers for free (others ask some
payment), but they usually don't deal with unpopular programs.
I think the best bet is to use a protection scheme developed at home,
because then nobody will know the algorithm to crack it. For example, add up
all the bytes of the program, each one multiplied by an arbitrary factor
taken from a sequence that, once used, is repeated as many times as
necessary to cover the program length. Then encode the resulting number base
36 (26 letters + 10 digits), for example, and use this as a serial number.
You may see how to encode a number in my Euphoria package "general
functions".
Regards.
----- Original Message -----
From: Tony Steward <lockmaster67 at aol.com>
To: EUforum <EUforum at topica.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 27, 2002 7:09 AM
Subject: Registering and copy protection
>
> Hi All,
> I now that there is little one can do to totally prevent poeple from
> riping of your software. I figure if it is registered and thier name or
> company name is locked into the software, displayed on the screen and in
> printouts.
>
> My Question is what ways are there to create registration numbers.
> One apparently easy way is to use the crc file in the archives to create
> a crc value for the name etc. But if this is a standard crc formula it
> would be easy to crack. Then on the otherhand if somone is going to go
> to this trouble then they will probably crack or patch the file anyway.
> Just wondering what you all think and what methods you use to protect
> your work. And if somone has created a library for this purpose.
>
> Thanks
> Tony Steward
>
>
> Give your hardest tasks to your lasiest workers.
> They will always find the easiest way to complete it.
>
>
>
>
2. RE: Registering and copy protection
Hi Tony,
There is a terrible trend beginning where "security codes" (or
whatever you want to call them) are based on individual information
obtained from the users PC.
For example,
* I buy some software,
* install it,
* A program is executed (usually automatically after the install)
that obtains some unique information about my PC (Network card
address, CPU serial number, HDD serial number, or a combination of
all) and sends that off to the software suppliers web site that
registers my information and gives me an unlocking code that works
for my computer only.
This in reality seems like a fair enough approach from software
companies that are possibly lossing millions of dollars.
The problems begin when:
* You change PC's or part of your PC that makes your access key invalid
(there is a way to get a new key but is usually a pain)
This is especially a pain if you change over a weekend when there is
no support to obtain a new key,
* You don't have internet access on the PC your installing the
software on,
* You have a laptop that you want to install the software on (some
software comes with licenses that allow you to install one copy of
software on your main desktop AND "your" laptop.
* The lack of security (if the software supplier goes under and
you need a new access key the software is now worthless),
* Privacy since a program is automatically collecting information from
your PC and sending it to a company! (Kat you'll love that one :])
The end result is the person who pays for the software is the loser.
Two of the software suppliers where I work went with this approach
and both removed it and went back to the usual serial number approach.
I believe Windows XP is using this "individual PC based" approach??
What you need are other incentives for people to register.
Free upgrades? Support? web forums etc that only registered users
have access to.
By all means use a serial number approach, but don't put any processes
in place that hurt the registered users.
Regards,
Ray Smith
http://rays-web.com
This means
Tony Steward wrote:
> Hi All,
> I now that there is little one can do to totally prevent poeple from
> riping of your software. I figure if it is registered and thier name or
> company name is locked into the software, displayed on the screen and in
>
> printouts.
>
> My Question is what ways are there to create registration numbers.
> One apparently easy way is to use the crc file in the archives to create
>
> a crc value for the name etc. But if this is a standard crc formula it
> would be easy to crack. Then on the otherhand if somone is going to go
> to this trouble then they will probably crack or patch the file anyway.
> Just wondering what you all think and what methods you use to protect
> your work. And if somone has created a library for this purpose.
>
> Thanks
> Tony Steward
>
>
> Give your hardest tasks to your lasiest workers.
> They will always find the easiest way to complete it.
3. RE: Registering and copy protection
> Hi All,
> I now that there is little one can do to totally prevent poeple from
> riping of your software. I figure if it is registered and thier name or
> company name is locked into the software, displayed on the screen and in
>
> printouts.
>
> My Question is what ways are there to create registration numbers.
> One apparently easy way is to use the crc file in the archives to create
>
> a crc value for the name etc. But if this is a standard crc formula it
> would be easy to crack. Then on the otherhand if somone is going to go
> to this trouble then they will probably crack or patch the file anyway.
> Just wondering what you all think and what methods you use to protect
> your work. And if somone has created a library for this purpose.
>
> Thanks
> Tony Steward
>From what I have seen, for the most part you just dont have to worry
about it. General protection schemes (such as a decent CRC) will
prevent 98% of people from messing with / taking the code, but the sad
fact of the matter is that if a program gets *very* popular on the net,
some one will crack it regardless of the protection you try and
implement. There simply is no protection that can be applied to
software that can protect code from a good hacker if he/she really wants
it.
Depending on how you look at it, its not always a bad thing. Windows
itself (Micro$oft) is mostly pirated software (from individuals). M$
makes all of thier money from companys and corporations that actually do
purchase the liciences for legal reasons (and maintenance).
