Interested in software protection

[CoreStylerz]

I open this topic because i'm working (slowly) to planning a release of a automated plugin registration/protection system.
FlowSign (i'm calling in that way) will consist in a module part and a server-side CMS to manage your user licenses etc etc.
Moudle probably as a C++ library and server side in PHP (+ frontend frameworks) or maybe also in Rails (if i can learn it in the spare time)
I think i will release this as open source free product. So basically anyone will benefit of it.
My tougth was about how many people would use or like to use something like that, because i will charge for custom implementations and integration with existing product and/or website stores etc etc as a time-speding-revenue for the effort. (i mean if noone is interested i will make just the necessary to release and you fork it on your own )

The idea was a communicating module with a webservice with ability to license products from the app (vsti or SA) via http and offline via webapp. The cms manages user registration, products and things like that (also payment maybe) from both user and vendor side. (also integration with shopping carts, wordpress and so on).

What is community feeling about this?
Thank you

[djbrynte]

Im intrested if there is a site u hold. And then u can use a module that goes true ur site. Also it will be ok to pay 15 euro every mounth to have the site up. lets say i will able to pay 10 euro if u hold the site and its easy to use. THen its worht it. 10 euro each month for me.

Also it will need to be very good bro.

And Like if a guy buy the synth. It should be good if the key is locked to hes pc

[CoreStylerz]

Could be a nice idea Jo.
Actually i had already a great experience about this stuff with Flowstone. I achieved a great level of security since the algorigthm is never stored in memory.
My idea was to coming in different license setup flavours.
Serial based (challenge response), machine based (challenge response by HHD), user based (keys only @ personal email address).

Actually i'm bulding an web architecture behind the project, a framework for PHP (of my own) and a CMS around it.
Would be simple to provide both service (as u suggsted) and open source tools for cooking by your own. (this may lead to different branches with different codebase).

I'll post details when i'm done with web application development. I'm focused on framework classes and functions rather than project specific implementations.
I have to make a great abstraction then to project specific development in order to make it easy, extensible and customizable.

The web app will be easy to use and accessible both mobiles and desktops.

The little part is the Flowstone related part. But the idea was to make simple modules that connected to I/O will make the gap.
Making the registration UI totally in web make also easier to implement because it will not require custom specific UI design in flowstone (this mean user go enter data in form, register and get his own keys). In the other way, having the quick unlock inside plugins, requires FS developer to adapt their specific design from the example.

i'll try to keep all encapsulated in order to make easy to implement and updated.

ps: key is always stored to customer machine and checked continuosly in runtime. (doesn't add more than 00,1 of overhead)

[adamszabo]

Definitely interested, keep us updated

[Walter Sommerfeld]

YUP - me 2...

Keep on doing!

[TrojakEW]

No offense but developer should spent more time improving performance/funcionality of their products and not waste time by developing/adding some useless and most of time pesky protection. You can't win battle against piracy and only your customers will suffer from this war! Annoyance (even simple serial protection is annoying) and problems caused by that extra useless junk that user don't want and don't need. Why user/customer who pay (with his hard earned) money for product have to go trough all of this?
If I had to sell my products it will be without protection for sure. But well it is just my opinion.

[CoreStylerz]

Your opinion is respectable, but i'm not of the same advice.
Because also small businnes need to prevent possible user-sharing. Since sharing mean less money, you'd take care of that.

Of course piracy is unstoppable im aware of that. But concrete protections are like barrier walls. They can be broken or climbed but you had a chance that the pirate is tired and didn't want to spend too much effort on this. (and maybe hasn't the skills required for the journey).

If you make thing in a good manner, with superb user experience, people wouldn't care at all.
You protect what you love and you think that is a must to protect (like family), some customer will see that.

[adamszabo]

No offense but developer should spent more time improving performance/funcionality of their products and not waste time by developing/adding some useless and most of time pesky protection. You can't win battle against piracy and only your customers will suffer from this war! Annoyance (even simple serial protection is annoying) and problems caused by that extra useless junk that user don't want and don't need. Why user/customer who pay (with his hard earned) money for product have to go trough all of this?
If I had to sell my products it will be without protection for sure. But well it is just my opinion.

I am sure you also leave your door open all night so anyone can come in and get all your stuff?

[az-terisk]

Good morning all,

I venture to dig up this subject, because for a commercial project I would also like to provide protection.

It seems obvious to me, in view of all the time spent imagining, designing, trying, searching, creating, implementing ... Not to allow the first comer to come and "steal" the fruit of all this work (which deserves a salary) .

So I am looking for different solutions and I know very well that none are infallible.

Adam Szabo's Viper aroused my curiosity: obviously, its protection system seems effective, since I have not found any illegal copies of Viper on the Warez network.

I wish I could have a fairly similar licensed system to begin with, if not something sharper. How can I get started?

@CoreStylerz: what happens to your very promising solution?

Have a nice day everyone and thank you for your help!