USA enforces to fight software piracy
Most recently, U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration announces to seek to aggressively enforce its intellectual property laws by putting pressure on countries that don’t shut down piracy Web sites and by requiring all government contractors to check for illegal software.
The Obama administration has rolled out its own vision for how to fight software piracy after a flood of dollars from lobbyists from the film and music industries and a public review of the matter,
As one of his first official actions as president, Obama has selected the Business Software Alliance’s top antipiracy enforcer and general counsel, Neil MacBride, for a senior Justice Department post. Among other duties, MacBride has been responsible for the BSA’s program that rewarded people for phoning in tips about suspected software piracy.
Globally, more than $51 billion worth of software was stolen in 2009, an 11-percent increase over the previous years. according to a recent research by BSA and IDC, a leading market-research firm. The study said that the countries with the lowest piracy rates are the US, Japan, New Zealand and Luxembourg, all near 20 percent. The highest software piracy countries are Armenia, Bangladesh, Georgia and Zimbabwe, all over 90 percent. That included nearly four out of five programs running on personal computers in high-piracy markets like China. Even in the United States, which has the lowest software piracy rate in the world, one in five PC applications was unlicensed last year.
UniKey hardware key is the best software protection system available for protecting software in network environments. Plug the key into USB port of any computer in a network and it provides flexible 3-way software protection:
• Software copy protection
• Limits the number of users who can access your application concurrently.
• Assigns the number of users with the right IP to access the server.
• Controls access of up to 64 different software modules and packages.
• Sets user number by each of the 64 modules
Before releasing the software, software vendors would have customers try the software. UniKey PRO network hardware key can assign users to have the right to access the server with the server IP address which can lead the client to find the server. When the PRO key is attached to the server, working well, it automatically stores its IP address. Users assigned by the server can run the software demo after establishing communication between the user IP address and the server IP address.
Highlights of the UniKey PRO
• Driverless
• Licenses can limit concurrent users
• IP address can limit specific users
• Remote update of keys in the field
• On-chip encryption engine
• 128-bit AES Encryption Algorithm
• Real cross-platform support
Keeping up with new technologies , SecuTech ensures that products meet the demands of both customers and end users by supporting the platforms and protocols of the modern PC. Our ultimate aim is to produce innovative products, provide advanced service and completely meet our customers’ requirement.
To learn more, visit the SecuTech Web site at http://www.eSecuTech.com .
About SecuTech
SecuTech Solutions Inc. is a company specializing in software license management business systems focusing on the international market with their class leading UniKey product range. Having an extensive and in-depth range of experience in the Software Management Licensing market, SecuTech has drawn upon this experience to utilize today’s cutting-edge technologies to introduce a COMPLETE and affordable solution for today’s software vendor markets worldwide.
copy;2010 SecuTech Solution Inc. All rights reserved. UniKey logo is a registered trademark of SecuTech. All other product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
SecuTech hits the door of Java Card
As a fast growing company, SecuTech plays a more and more important role in information security area. The new released smart-card based USB authentication token, UniToken PRO, gives SecuTech’s customer confidence that SecuTech will broad the scope to smart card. Smart card technologies improve the security for authentication process, and improves the product performance dramatically.
Smart Card Security
Smart card security is a complex multi-dimensional problem. There are different costs associated with different levels of security. Different cryptographic algorithms require chips at various costs, just as different security evaluations and certifications can vary costs in time and money. However, products at any level of security can benefit from Java Card technology.
The Java Card platform provides a secure execution environment with a firewall between different applications in the same card. This allows different applications on the same card to function separately and independently from each other as if they were on separate cards.
Java Card: A Multi-Application Operating System for Smart Cards
Java Card is an open, multi-application operating system for smart cards. Diverse parties can develop applications for same smart card using their respective Java programming skills. The resulting applets run on the same card and co-reside independently. Thus, applications from various vendors can be combined after being separately developed.
Java Card has changed the smart card proposition for both card issuers and cardholders. Java cards provide increased convenience and flexibility for users while delivering savings and a wealth of opportunities for issuers across all business sectors.
“Among smart cards, Java Card is becoming more and more widely deployed in mobile devices. . A Java Card might a next generation media for authentication for mobile device”, said Raymond, the technical manager of SecuTech. “We need to invest more on Java Card application, and our first Java Card product will be released in Q4 of this year”.
Keeping up with new technologies , SecuTech ensures that products meet the demands of both customers and end users by supporting the platforms and protocols of the modern PC. Our ultimate aim is to produce innovative products, provide advanced service and completely meet our customers’ requirement.
About SecuTech
SecuTech Solutions Inc. is a company specializing in software license management business systems focusing on the international market with their class leading UniKey product range. Having an extensive and in-depth range of experience in the Software Management Licensing market, SecuTech has drawn upon this experience to utilize today’s cutting-edge technologies to introduce a COMPLETE and affordable solution for today’s software vendor markets worldwide.
SecuTech Solution Inc. All rights reserved. UniKey, UniToken, UniOTP and SecuTech logos are registered trademarks of SecuTech. All other product names are trademarks of their respective owners.
DRIVERLESS DONGLES ADVANTAGES
There are many software protection dongles on the market, but not all of them are driverless. So what is “driverless” and what are the advantages?
We call “driverless” a device that doesn’t require the installation of drivers to be used on a computer. Actually, it is because these drivers are generic drivers already included in the operating system. Many USB devices use this generic driver provided by the operating to facilitate the use of the device for users.
In the case of software protection dongles, most of problems are caused by the driver and cost a lot of time to technical support team. That’s why driverless dongles are interesting, saving time for client and for the dongle provider. Also, the final user will just have to plug the dongle in his computer and launch the software to be able to use it, no long and sometimes troublesome process of driver installation.
So, if you plan to choose a dongle to protect your software and don’t want to spend your whole time solving driver problems, just make sure to choose a driverless protection dongle!
SOFTWARE PIRACY: THE RACE FOR NEW TECHNOLOGIES OF PROTECTION
Piracy is a phenomenon that has begun to grow exponentially these recent years. To fight this problem, various ways to protect software have appeared, from the basic serial key to the hardware based protection. These are all some ways to solve the problem, but pirates always go farther and farther to overpass these protection systems. Let’s be honest, there is no software protection system that is 100% reliable, it just makes the task harder for hackers and they need more time to find a way to crack it.
That’s why software protection system makers have to improve constantly their system to fit the actual market security requirements. The hardware based protection still remains one the most secure ways to protect your software, but this solution is of course more expensive than other software based protection.
Hardware protection dongles are reliable but more expensive than a simple serial key system. Software piracy harms software developer but also the final users. Indeed, the price of these hardware-based protection dongles is added to the final price of the software, which tends to make this software even more expensive. The user that buys the software legally pays even more money, just because of the piracy of users not willing to buy the software.
There is actually no way to eradicate completely software piracy, it is and will always exist. However, we can help to reduce it using efficient systems. Pirates will always find a way to hack your software protection. That’s why software protection makers have to keep on searching for new ways, even more secure to protect software. In this way, when the hacker would finally find the way to unlock a software protection, a new system of protection will already be released and he will have to try to hack it again. That’s how it works.
Dongle Driver Problems
Developers are sick of reading and answering the same questions every day in emails or on forums. Normally they were
getting over 10 emails a day asking the same questions that were covered in the forums.
Almost all software vendors that are using dongles have to create a page on website about troubling shooting of dongle
problems, actually 90% or the dongle problems are caused by dongle driver.
Customers are just tired of seeing the same thing over and over…
Returned Dongle Errors
Dongle not found
Can’t Find the Dongle
Dongle driver is not installed
Dongle driver error
Cannot open dongle driver
USB device driver not installed
License key error
The Problems Caused by Dongle
When you attach the USB dongle, if the light inside the dongle goes on and then turnes off immediately In that
case, you have to download the latest dongle drivers from the related website. As the dongle driver is old and not
compatible with the current window version. Installing the latest dongle driver has already resolved USB dongle
problems on both Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
If the dongle driver did not install correctly during the system installation, you need to update or re-install the
dongle driver Version:
The below message is given whenever the applications simply cannot find a dongle – whether it be a standalone or
network device. Generally when this message occurs, users need to check a number of things:
Check if the users have installed the drivers correctly
Try installing the drivers manually
The inconsistence of the dongle driver version and the software version may cause problem as well.
The conflict between the dongle and certain recent versions of the McAfee and AVG virus scanners also occurs dongle
driver problem.
Occasionally, USB dongles are not being recognized in Windows 2000 and Windows XP.
In rare cases, software fails to install the driver and new users need to run the dongle driver again.
USB dongle devices are detected when they are first plugged in, but sometimes Windows will mark a device as bad if it
cannot find the right drivers for it.
Installation seems to hang while installing dongle drivers under certain circumstances – though it hasn’t actually hung – it just takes several minutes to complete. It’s unfortunately the drivers cause the delay and but not the software. Software vendors normally recommend to install the driver before connecting USB keys. If, however, uses have connected the USB key first, they may encounter problems with the dongle driver installation.
An incorrectly installed dongle driver can produce license error messages. The dongle driver is a piece of software that
communicates between IDL/ENVI and the hardware key attached to USB port. If an IDL-based product produces a dongle licensing error message, the dongle driver may need to be re-installed or updated.
How to Solve The Dongle Driver Caused Problems – Driverless Dongle
Driverless means you do not have to install a driver. The operation system will install the driver automatically. And there is not
any driver installation problem at all. Software users really enjoy the convenience brought by the driverless technology.
Benefits for Software Suppliers
Save 90% of technical support team’s energy and time.
Reduce lots of work for support team
Do not have to upload the new driver to website for update
Reduce the technical dependency of dongle providers.
Benefits for End Users
Do not have to download the new driver to update
Avoid the problems of DONGLE NOT FOUND
Easy to use, just plug in with driverless dongle, it works perfectly.
Protect your software with UniKey Licensing Management
UniKey Rights Management Solution accomplishes rights by targeting particular
building blocks of using illegal software in the following ways:
Awareness – Ensure users are aware of any technology to restrict the usage and access of material.
Access – Ensure certain digital material can only be obtained through the appropriate mediums.
Identification – Identify who has rights to access certain digital material.
Authentication – Validate those who attempt to interact with a particular application.
Authorization – Detail the rights of each user of software.
Availability – Legally provide software to consumers.
Accountability – Assign responsibility for illegally obtaining or misusing applications.
Administration – Manage the licensing for software.
The Software Rights Management Solution You Can Trust
Being the No.1 driverless dongle, and with a real time clock inside to anti-piracy, UniKey should be a central component
of your business strategy. This robust and proven technology gives you the power to:
Broaden your options for licensing and distributing software with your systems.
Protect your software and intellectual property.
Adapt to changing market conditions.
Combat software piracy and illegal usage.
Enhance revenues with value-based business models with secure & flexible software licensingmanagement.
Defeat reverse-engineering and Intellectual Property theft.
Enhance the flexibility of licensing process by the real cross-platformt.
UniKey software licensing management solution can be comprehensive and powerful, yet easy to use. It is designed to
protect your programs software quickly and easily, without the need to learn security methods and protection
technologies, and increase the revene.
Strong Protection Technologies
UniKey provides the easy-to –use envelope technology to
Protect against reverse engineering
Encrypt file
Anti-debug
Update tool
Maximum Licensing Flexibility
UniKey supports many licensing models
Feature-Based: Charge for specific modules, features, or capabilities
Rental: Charge periodically and allow software use for defined periods of time
Pay-Per-Use: Charge according to usage of a specific functionality by execution, or by measuring duration of use
Subscription: Charge for the right to upgrade software within a specific time frame
Floating: Charge according to the number of users concurrently using the software in network environments
Build-Your-Own: The flexibility to build the license models that best meet your business needs
Proven In Different Software Zones
UniKey protects software and manage licenses for the world’s leading systems vendors – in the most demanding applications,
including:
Medical diagnostic equipment
Accounting systems
Logistic systems
Biometric applications
CNC systems
Automated design and manufacturing equipment
Retail POS systems
Casino gaming equipment
Print and digital imaging systems
Automotive test equipment
Types of Software Piracy
There are five common types of software piracy.
End User Piracy
People in a company reproduce copies of software without authorization. It includes 5 ways to pirate software.
To install a program on multiple computers with only one license.
Disk copying to install and distribute software;
Update a new version of an authorized software.
Apply a demo version or trial version software for commercial use.
Exchange disks in or outside the workplace.
Client-Server Overuse
When one copy of a program is using at the same time in a workstation by lots of staffs in a company, there are chances
that the software is stolen. The company has to authorized the right person and the limited number to use the program
on the server.
Online Piracy
The more popular to download software through internet, the more easier to steal a copy of the software. The rules
that apply to the actual purchase are not sufficient to stop the unauthorized copying.
There are 3 ways to get pirated software from internet:
Some websites that specially provide free download or in exchange of uploaded software;
Internet auction sites that offer counterfeit, illegal-channeled, unauthorized software;
Peer-to-Peer network that enables unauthorized transfer of copyrighted programs.
Hard-Disk Loading
A business who sells new computers may load illegal copies of software into the hard disks to attract customers. The
same concerns and issues apply to resellers that sell or install new software into computers in the workplace.
Software Counterfeiting
It is the illegal duplication and sale of copyrighted program by way of directly imitating the copyrighted software. People
can find counterfeit copies of the CDs incorporating the software programs, as well as related packaging, manuals,
license agreements, labels and registration cards.
How UniKey Protects Software from Piracy
What is Software Piracy?
Software piracy is the unauthorized duplication and usage of computer software. Most retail programs are licensed for use at just one computer site or for use by only one user at any time. By buying the software, customers become a licensed user rather than an owner. They are allowed to make copies of the program for backup purposes, but it is against the law to give copies to others.
Software piracy is a growing world economic issue that robs software vendors from an important part of their income. The diffusion of pirated software is greatly eased by the exponential development of the Internet. Software piracy has a harder impact on medium and small sized software vendors. Business Software Alliance estimates the annual loss of software editors to around 30 billion dollars (USD) .
Piracy impacts every type of software : from professional software to general public software, from dedicated software to specific software, from gaming software to embedded software.
Although software companies are launching more and more lawsuits against major infractors, Software piracy is all but impossible to stop. Many software publishers do not employ any technological measures to protect their software from piracy and many popular software products are distributed without any means of protection and are easily pirated.
According to the BSA (Business Software Alliance) and IDC 6th Annual Global Software Piracy Study, the retail value of unlicensed software — representing revenue “losses” to software companies — broke the $50 billion level for the first time in 2008. Worldwide losses grew by 11 percent to $53 billion. Excluding the effect of exchange rates, losses grew by 5 percent to $50.2 billion.
Types of Software Piracy
There are five common types of software piracy.
End User Piracy
People in a company reproduce copies of software without authorization. It includes 5 ways to pirate software.
To install a program on multiple computers with only one license.
Disk copying to install and distribute software;
Update a new version of an authorized software.
Apply a demo version or trial version software for commercial use.
Exchange disks in or outside the workplace.
Client-Server Overuse
When one copy of a program is using at the same time in a workstation by lots of staffs ina company, there are
chances that the software is stolen. The company has to authorized the right person and the limited number to use
the program on the server.
Online Piracy
The more popular to download software through internet, the more easier to steal a copy of the software. The rules that apply to the actual purchase are not sufficient to stop the unauthorized copying. There are 3 ways to get pirated software from internet:
Some websites that specially provide free download or in exchange of uploaded software;
Internet auction sites that offer counterfeit, illegal-channeled, unauthorized software;
Peer-to-Peer network that enables unauthorized transfer of copyrighted programs.
Hard-Disk Loading
A business who sells new computers may load illegal copies of software into the hard disks to attract customers. The same concerns and issues apply to resellers that sell or install new software into computers in the workplace.
Software Counterfeiting
It is the illegal duplication and sale of copyrighted program by way of directly imitating the copyrighted software.
People can find counterfeit copies of the CDs incorporating the software programs, as well as related packaging, manuals, license agreements, labels and registration cards.
Technical Information & Product Solutions.
Why Protect Your Software?
Protecting software and limiting its usage beyond a specified trial period has become a necessity and protecting software from cracks can be critical to an application’s success. In fact, some statistics suggest that a software crack can impact software sales by as much as 30%!
Developing a software application involves a major investment of time, money and energy. Software piracy (including illegal network licenses and unfulfilled upgrades, unauthorized share) denies you the revenue you deserve and harms your paying customers, who ultimately bear the cost of illegal use of your products. Piracy limits your ability to be competitive, leading to higher-priced, less advanced products for your customers.
Protect software is to encourage individuals and businesses to create new software and new software applications, as well as improving existing applications and to increase your sales potential.
Issues About Software Copy Protection
Software vendors think software protection is technically and commercially impractical and it is not worthwhile to apply protection because any protection technology will be rapidly overcame. Actually piracy is not without cost. The cost of piracy depends on several factors.
There is cost of obtaining the illegal copy. Users have to take time to search for it and in some cases have to pay for it although illegal users can probably obtain an illegal copy of any software.
If caught, the cost will be value of penalties, lost or reputation and the cost ascribed to violate the law.
Piracy bears an additional cost – the cost of breaking or circumventing the technology protection that employed to the software.
A potential customer’s decision to purchase, to pirate, or not to use the software is a function of following factors: the value that the customer gains from the software, the price of buying a legal copy, and the cost of piracy.
Protections may not eliminate all potential piracy, but it nevertheless increases the cost and consequently narrows its extent. While it is probably true that any lock can be broken and any sophisticated technology and protection system can be overcame, it is also true that valuable property protected by some technology is less likely to be stolen than the same valuable property without any protection at all – even if that technology is not 100 % guaranteed.
How to Protect Software?
Protecting software and limiting its usage has become a necessity and protecting software from hackers can be critical to a software market share. In fact, statistic suggests that a software hacking can impact software sales by as much as 30%!
If you or your company has decided to implement a Software Digital Rights Management (DRM) solution, you are probably faced with a number of options. Software DRM functionality includes several options;
Anti-Piracy
Protection is to secure an application of software copy rights by incorporating automated and customized protection by implementing specific security strategies. Software engineers use variety tools provided by UniKey Software Protection Solutin to protect applications
Envelope – Automatic wrapping your applications with a protective shield. is the fastest and easiest way to secure software requiring access to the software source code.
API – Incorporating various security methods with application code and wraps the executable file with numerous layers that are randomly assembled. UniKey Software Protection System Run-time
API provides maximum flexibility and compatibility with a wide variety of development tools and operating.
License control and management
Software license is that the software publisher grants a license to use one or more copies of software, but that ownership of those copies remains with the software publisher. One consequence of this feature of proprietary software licenses is that virtually all rights regarding the software are reserved by the software publisher. Only a very limited set of well-defined rights are conceded to the end-user. UniKey software protection provides the flexibility of licensing control and management.
Feature Based –Allows end users to use partial function of the software to save money than to use the whole package.
Rental – software can be rented and charged periodically by software applications, modules or features.
Subscription — Allows the user to use the software for a specific time period. At the end of the term the user has several options: (1) renew the subscription; or (2) purchase a perpetual license at a discounted cost; or (3) remove the software from the computer.
Floating – Charged by numbers of users that are using software simultaneously in the network environment.
Trial before you buy: Allows software publishers to release the software for a period time like a month as marketing tool. The end user can only use this software for only one month.
Pay-per-Use — charges users for the number of times they use the software or charge for certain features.
Pay-per-Time: This allows the end user to pay per time. The end user pre-pay a period of time that fits their needs. The end user can also renew before the license expired.
On Hardware-based Software Licensing Key
Software license is that the software publisher grants a license to use one or more copies of software, but that ownership
of those copies remains with the software publisher. One consequence of this feature of proprietary software licenses is
that virtually all rights regarding the software are reserved by the software publisher. Only a very limited set of
well-defined rights are conceded to the end-user.
software license types
Individual licenses
Technical Information & Product Solutions
Technical Tips
www.eSecuTech.com
-Individual (Single-user): This license type allows the software to be used on only one computer which is not
accessed by other users over a network. The other users are not allowed to use software while connected to
your computer. Types of individual licenses are.
-Perpetual license: allows the customer to install and use the software indefinitely without any limitation.
Subscription license: Allows the user to use the software for a specific time period. At the end of the term the
user has several options: (1) renew the subscription; or (2) purchase a perpetual license at a discounted cost;
or (3) remove the software from the computer.
-Trial license: Allows software venders to release the software for a period time like a month as marketing tool.
The end user can only use this software for only one month.
-Evaluation license: This license allows the expensive software to be evaluated with certain period.
-Demo license: This license allows end users to demonstrate the software with partial function or certain period.
-Feature based license: This license allows end users to use partial function of the software to save money than
to use the whole package.
-Time limited rental license: This allows the end user to pay per time. The end user pre-pay a period of time that
fits their needs. The end user can also renew before the license expired.
-Concurrent Use: This license type requires the end users purchase licenses for the maximum number of people
who will be running the software simultaneously. However, end users can usually install the software on more
computers than.
-Server (Network):
Licensed per server – This license type requires that you have a single copy of the software
residing on the file server
Per Seat (Machine): Licensed per machine/seat – This license requires that you purchase a license for each
client computer and/or device where access to services is needed. This license is typically used in conjunction
with a network license.
Network/Multi-user licenses
Add-on’s to Existing Or New Licenses
Upgrade: This license is acquired when a user has a previously acquired software license and would like to move up
to a newer version.
Student use:This allows students to use the software as long as they are students of the institutions. Students are
required to uninstall software upon leaving the University.
Secondary use: Allows the licensed end user to use the software on a second computer.
Work-at-home rights: Allows Facult/Staff to use software at home. This is effective for as long as the primary work
computer is licensed and as long as the person is an employee. Termination of employment also terminates this
benefit.
Home use: Similar to Work-at-home rights
How Hardware Based Software License Key Works?
In order to improve the relationships between vendors and customers as well as grow revenue, software pricing and licensing policies are made more flexible. Hardware keys are made to feature secure software licensing options and offers multiple licensing molds locked into the hardware key to supply flexible licensing protection. Such as HASP from Aladdin, Sentinel from Safenet, UniKey from SecuTech.
Hardware key or software protection dongle is the hardware-based protection and licensing management tool. It is a USB key with memory that protects software against piracy and illegal use by allowing access and execution of the protected software only when the key is connected to the computer.
The hardware keys provide licensing method with envelope-base automatic implementation and API-based automatic
implementation.
The only thing that would make hardware key better for software license management is if there were an industry-standard way to store multiple software licenses on one physical dongle (and transfer them securely if need be). Public computers could have those software installed on them at no cost to the business providing the computer, but they would only work when someone presented a valid license via their dongle. And the end user would never have to think about moving the licenses to a new computer or losing valuable software when they dispose of the old one.
Unikey API Protection Scheme Ensures the Highest Security For Software Vendors.
UniKey dongles are available in standalone, network and real time. Using a software developer’s kit, software developers can protect applications with the right hardware key by calling for the dongle’s presentation.
UniKey provides two methods of protection schemes, envelope and API. UniKey Enveloper automatically wrap up a program with only a click by a mouse, it is the fastest way to protect executable files without needing for the source and additional coding work.
To ensure the highest security, the API implementation is strongly recommended by SecuTech’s experience technology expert, Raymond Chaw, ‘we have been helping customers to integrate UniKey and their software successfully with API
application, I hope that our work can help software vendors gain more on revenue and reputation’, said Raymond.
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of routines that an application uses to work with the operating system, allows data and messages to be encoded or encrypted so they can be stored and transmitted securely. With the help of UniKey API, software developers can easily achieve strong software protection and produce complicated software protection schemes via various combinations of the UniKey APIs.
We provide abundant APIs to operate the UniKey dongle. All the APIs are implemented in a DLL/LIB file. In the SDK, software developers can find samples in various programming languages.
UniKey API is easy, secure and portable. If a DLL is required for development language, the appropriate DLL(s) can be copied to the same directory as the sample source code.