A specific gain in software piracy is established on the info that it is fairly easygoing to reverse engineer software that run under Microsoft抯 .NET or Sun抯 Java environment. Federal Agencies must accept software plagiarism has grown into a world topic. In fact, it can not any longer be omitted: software cracking needs to be handled. Next are some figures around piracy.
Pirated copies counterbalance 40 pct of all software programs. Because of the done-from-home-is-no-crime style of the illegal action, software piracy is a delinquent act that technical handling as well as jurisprudences, fail to prevent. Former analyses have calculated the losses to all varieties of plagiarism at $15-$20 billion annually. Evidently, such patterns and attitude are ravaging. Can something be done? Of course! Still, there are means that can be utilised by the coder to prohibit piracy.
Foremost, the coder should protect application license schemes as good as feasible. Because of readily accessible, many developers rely on hardware systems or third party software for protection. Verifying all around protection techniques is a tremendous task for developers, only protection can notbe left out.
Combating cracking is frequently sought by usage of a combined protection method. The disadvantage of total protection packages is that if the certification - that this software supplies - is cracked, then all software protected by this total package is in peril. It exists as well tools bringing a catchy registration system to the software that is protected, the so-called complete solution software. It is frequently assumed though that the advisable solution is to choose a third party protector securing the creator's own implemented certifying strategy.
Aside from coding in a defensive manner, there is the protector programs who can bring comfort. This gets us to additional possibilities for developers:
* Online Activation Services: means programs accessing a license server by internet, the online software activation is meant to prohibit software cracking. The disadvantage here is the fear for not or incorrect functioning online servers, users without 24/24 internet availability besides programs eating internet time.
* Seperate download links for Full and Demo. The programmer has not included a few main functions in a trial edition, this returns plagiarism useless. Customers are expected to uninstall the trial or demo edition and to reinstall the full edition after downloading the seperate full software. Sound protection but the weak point is if hackers find the full variant link, then all is ruined!
Third party programs bring complementary assistance for all who are not proficient with software protection, these can be divided in software and hardware dependent solutions.
* Protectors are software based tools that are appended to or wrapped around a software with the intention to shield against piracy, in the instance of games frequently also supplying ecommerce features. Protectors are common in the shareware as well as in the gaming business. It exists very miserable as well as very competent protectors: pick out wisely!
* In contradiction to what the name hints, a hardware lock is a software based protector that locks the software to a specific pc's hardware. This kind of protector is frequently fairly firm for an average price, the disadvantage is that a new registration needs to be bought if the coder purchases a new pc. Remark that hardware locking ensures that a unique certification can not be utilised on multiple computers but is tied to the specified pc it was purchased for. Most frequently, the unique number of the hard disk, sound card, processor, graphics card etc are exploited for hardware locking.
* The most general hardware based locks are USB Drive Locks and Dongle locks. This possibility is advisable in example of very costly software or in case only a couple copies are sold every year, because of relatively good results. A connection for the hardware share via a USB port or a parallel port is required for activation of the application certification every time. Cost, missing availability of a port and loss of the hardware part are bad disadvantages for this kind of schemes, so they have only seen some commercial success at the beginning.
This summarises the most utilised protection techniques and instruments that creators can implement to help in profit protection. The choice of external created products is long but perhaps this summary could bring some clearness in the subject!
Home 
Wed Nov 09, 2011 5:34 pm