EXAMPLE SOFTWARE PROTECTION SCENARIOS AND SOLUTIONS

SCENARIO: I just need to protect my application against modifying and reverse engineering. No machine locking, no trials, no activation, no serials.

SOLUTION: PLAIN PROTECTION


SCENARIO: I need to protect my application against modifying and reverse engineering. I also want it to expire after some period of time or after specific number of runs. No machine locking, no activation, no serials.

SOLUTION: PLAIN PROTECTION + DEMO MODE FEATURE


SCENARIO: I need to protect my application against modifying and reverse engineering. End user should be able to use application only in case valid valid predefined serial number is provided. No machine locking, no activation, no trials.

SOLUTION: PLAIN PROTECTION + SERIAL NUMBERS FEATURE


SCENARIO: I need to protect my application against modifying and reverse engineering. Application should ask for predefined password on each run. No machine locking, no activation, no trials.

SOLUTION: PLAIN PROTECTION + PASSWORD PROTECTION FEATURE


SCENARIO: Each copy of my application should be locked to remote machine. End user should be able to use it only if I provide him with valid activation code for his computer. Application should be permanently activated.

SOLUTION: REMOTE PROTECTION


SCENARIO: Each copy of my application should be locked to remote machine. End user should be able to use it only if I provide him with valid activation code for his computer. Application should be permanently activated. I also want to let end user remove his license or transfer his license to another computer without contacting me.

SOLUTION: REMOTE PROTECTION + LICENSE REMOVAL + LICENSE TRANSFER FEATURE


SCENARIO: Each copy of my application should be locked to remote machine. End user should be able to use it only if I provide him with valid activation code for his computer. However, I also want to allow end user a limited trial period. End user should be able to permanently activate application both during trial and after trial is over. Application should be permanently activated.

SOLUTION: REMOTE PROTECTION + DEMO MODE FEATURE


SCENARIO: Each copy of my application should be locked to remote machine. End user should be able to use it only if I provide him with valid activation code for his computer. Application should be activated only for a limited period of time. Once this period is over new and different activation code should be required.

SOLUTION: REMOTE PROTECTION + LIMITED LICENSE FEATURE


SCENARIO: Each copy of my application should be locked to remote machine. End user should be able to use it only if I provide him with valid activation code for his computer. I also want to allow end user a limited trial period. End user should be able to permanently activate application both during trial and after this trial is over. However, application should be activated only for a limited period of time. Once this period is over new and different activation code should be required.

SOLUTION: REMOTE PROTECTION + DEMO MODE + LIMITED LICENSE FEATURE


SCENARIO: Each copy of my application should be locked to remote machine. End user should be able to use it only if I provide him with valid activation code for his computer. I also want to allow end user a limited trial period. End user should be able to permanently activate application both during trial and after this trial is over. However, application should be activated only for a limited period of time. Once this period is over new and different activation code should be required. End user should be able to extend active license at any time by requesting license extension activation code. I should also be able to update his license with new features by giving him appropriate activation code.

SOLUTION: REMOTE PROTECTION + DEMO MODE + LIMITED LICENSE + LICENSE EXTENSION + LICENSE UPDATE FEATURE


SCENARIO: Each copy of my application should be locked to remote machine. However, I'm not directly selling my software. I need to identify and track my software by marking each copy (cd/dvd...) with unique, predefined serial number so I can identify each customer when providing valid activation codes. Only user with valid serial number should be able to get valid activation code. In this way I would be able to prevent someone from getting activation code without purchasing my software or from getting multiple activation codes with single serial number. Both serial number and activation code should be required for successful activation.

SOLUTION: REMOTE PROTECTION + SERIAL NUMBERS FEATURE


SCENARIO: I just need to control number of concurrent users of my application on Windows network. No machine locking.

SOLUTION: NETWORK PROTECTION


SCENARIO: I need to control number of concurrent users of my application on Windows network but I also want to limit computers which can access protected application based on their IP addresses. No machine locking.

SOLUTION: NETWORK PROTECTION + IP FILTERING FEATURE


SCENARIO: My application is installed on terminal server. I need to lock application to terminal server and control number of concurrent users in this environment.

SOLUTION: REMOTE PROTECTION + LIMIT NUMBER OF APPLICATION INSTANCES FEATURE


SCENARIO: I like really complex protection scenarios!

Each copy of my application should be locked to remote machine. However, I'm not directly selling my software. I need to identify and track my software by marking each copy (cd/dvd...) with unique, predefined serial number so I can identify each customer when providing valid activation codes. Only user with valid serial number should be able to get valid activation code. In this way I would be able to prevent someone from getting activation code without purchasing my software or from getting multiple activation codes with single serial number. Both serial number and activation code should be required for successful activation.

I also want to allow end user a limited trial period. End user should be able to permanently activate application both during trial and after this trial is over. However, application should be activated only for a limited period of time. Once this period is over new and different activation code should be required. End user should be able to extend active license at any time by requesting license extension activation code. I should also be able to update his license with new features by giving him appropriate activation code.

I want to limit computers which can access protected application based on their IP address.

I want to limit number of application instances end user can start on single computer.

I also don't like default activation dialog. I want protected application to use my own dialog resources!

I want to add some custom buttons (to open a file or web page for example) to activation dialog.

SOLUTION: REMOTE PROTECTION + DEMO MODE + LIMITED LICENSE + LICENSE EXTENSION + LICENSE UPDATE + SERIAL NUMBERS + IP FILTERING + LIMIT NUMBER OF APPLICATION INSTANCES + CUSTOM DIALOGS + CUSTOM BUTTONS FEATURE