On hardware-based software licensing key (USB dongle hardware key for software license management)

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
 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
Network/Multi-user licenses
 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.

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.


About SecuTech Solution Inc.

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 within 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.
info@eSecuTech.com
www.eSecuTech.com

How UniKey Hardware Keys Help Us Improve The Product’s Security.[By Michael Ricci]

How UniKey Hardware Keys Help Us Improve The Product’s Security.
Better security through UniKey

When we began work on the UniKey security keys (http://www.esecutech.com/), our Engineers were to find a device that would be an adequate deterrent to software piracy thefts. While we understand that complete security is impossible in open systems like PCs, we wanted to make it hard enough to break that would-be hackers would look elsewhere.

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.

In an effort to show that UniKey security keys were more than smoke-and-mirrors, I submitted an article to my blog that gave significant details on how the UniKey USB security key worked (http://softwarecopyprotectionsecuritykeys.blogspot.com/). There are some real ferrets out there.

I was not disappsointed. UniKey responded with a variety of suggestions and judgements. The most common response we got from UniKey support team is that there is a technical support ticket system to help me work with them. While there are many articles at their website www.esecutech.com/ indicating how easy it is to integrate the keys, the articles I read assume that your questions are available. In our case, the questions are not available.

Let's assume that enterprising intruders are able to analyze the data on the USB bus, collect a sufficient number of values, and apply the appropriate effort to determine the key values. Is the usefulness of the UniKey over? Not really. An intruder cannot use information to clone another key.It is impossible (even with that information) for a program communicating with a UniKey by using the correct keys to change the key values on the device. The keys are not stored in memory that can be accessed by any program, even if it knows the keys. The bottom line is that this approach cannot change a hardware key for product A to be modified to become a key for product B.

UniKey dongles are driverless dongles and 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 API protection scheme ensures the highest security for software vendors.

We appreicate the HID technology which let us forget the dongle NOT FOUND problem of other brand dongles, and we also appreciate the review and feedback we received from UniKey technical support Team and other UniKey end users. It help us a lot to improve our software’s security. The software development customers don't have to change the code with Unikey envelop secuirty technology, and the security is improved. We aren't so naïve as to believe that UniKey provides an unbreakable solution, but we do believe that the time and effort required to crack and bypass the security is sufficiently high that intruders will look for easier targets.

SecuTech Solution Inc. offers several ready license protection solutions along with UniKey. UniKey takes the role of hardware ID and works as the container of digital credentials. UniKey Software Protection System provides a completed set of tools and samples for software vendors to control their software's distribution.

UniKey e-Learning protection — A special version of software control license solution

SecuTech Solution Inc. released a special version of software license solution—UniKey e-Learning protection. This solution is specially made for e-Learning providers to offer people to learn anytime and anywhere online, including training.

SecuTech Solution Inc. released a special version of software license solution—UniKey e-Learning protection. This solution is specially made for e-Learning providers to offer people to learn anytime and anywhere online, including training, the delivery of just-in-time information and guidance from experts.

e-Learning solution provides supports for multiple platforms and numerous language to meet the flexibility of online learning, training, and monitoring.

This solution combines a hardware key-UniKey providing licensing method with envelope-base automatic implementation and API-based automatic implementation.

In order to improve the relationships between vendors and customers as well as grow revenue, UniKey e-learning solution is made more flexible in licensing

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 .

The hardware key -- Unikey is to feature secure software licensing options and offers multiple licensing molds locked into the hardware key to supply flexible licensing protection.
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As I know, UniKey is special designed for eLearning solution which is the cheapest dongle in UniKey family.

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