Blurry Box, a new encryption method to increase software protection standards
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Auguste Kerckhoffs postulated his eponymous principle back in the 19th century: "A cryptosystem should be secure even if everything about the system, except for the key, is public knowledge". This means that an effective cryptographic method does not have to be kept secret. If it were, you should wonder why. Wibu-Systems has been true to this principle for several years. Blurry Box cryptography offers software protection that is completely based on publicly available methods and that can thus be assessed and compared. Blurry Box makes it so hard to counterfeit the software that it would be easier and faster to re-develop the application from scratch! To test the validity and strength of the newly patented encryption method Blurry Box, now integrated with the anti-debug and obfuscation methods of CodeMeter, Wibu-Systems launched a contest, open to all hackers around the globe. None of the 315 international participants managed to send in a full crack of the encryption scheme. Contact our encryption specialists to see which software protection solution works best for you: http://www.wibu.com/bb.
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Post Quantum Cryptography – The Impact on Identity
As PQC continues to be a major topic for many companies and Government Institutions, we take a dive into the topics of quantum computers, post-quantum-cryptography, and the potential relevance for (ID) use cases.
This seminar would like to present the principles of the technology and the latest developments in this field as well some indication as to the relevance, impact, and consequences on (Government) ID projects or use cases. The seminar may also look towards the relationship with these projects not only from a hardware standpoint but also from a software algorithmic stance as we migrate from current used crypto systems to quantum-proof systems.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What is a Quantum Computer, what is Post Quantum Cryptography and when will we see a quantum computer?
The migration from current crypto systems to quantum proof systems.
How will PQC and QC affect (Government) ID projects and implementations.
What will QC mean for the security proofing of ID and Information in the future.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Interested parties in the field of Identity and Security.
Government bodies looking to the future for ID document management systems
Enterprises looking to understand the potential impact of QC upon their business and industries.
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Ever since the publication of Shor’s quantum algorithm for the factorization of large numbers, it has been known that quantum computers could at some point pose a threat to our communication and data security. Today we have cloud access to small, functioning quantum computers. The answer to this threat is quantum-resistant cryptography: cryptographic methods for classical computers that are robust against attacks by quantum computers.
The standardization of such methods is currently ongoing. However, these methods are based on mathematical problems, that are much younger than the factorization problem already investigated by Euclid. On the other hand, currently used cryptographic methods such as RSA or ECDSA are broken as soon as a sufficiently large quantum computer exists. Cryptoagility is therefore recommended, software should be built or modified in such a way that cryptographic algorithms are easily substitutable. But how great is the danger posed by quantum computers? To what extent is cryptography affected, and when do we need to take action? Is cryptoagility really so easy to implement in practice or is this perhaps much easier said than done?
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In today's fast-paced digital era, where industries globally are evolving through rapid digital transformation and digital assets form the core of industrial innovation, ensuring software integrity, safeguarding intellectual property, and enabling software monetization through sophisticated and adaptable software license management systems are of utmost importance.
In the realm of IoT devices and PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), memory cards frequently serve as an essential component of the infrastructure. Recognizing this, we've chosen to expand upon this foundation by enhancing an already crucial element in practical scenarios with additional functionalities. This strategic extension aims to not only fulfill a fundamental requirement but also to elevate the utility and performance of these devices by integrating advanced features into the existing framework.
Join us for a webinar that showcases the groundbreaking collaboration between Swissbit and Wibu-Systems, introducing CmReady – a revolutionary solution at the nexus of state-of-the-art technologies designed to meet these critical needs.
What is CmReady?
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Plug and Play functionality, eliminating implementation hassle
Enhanced data protection and integrity features, safeguarding against piracy and unauthorized access
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A common piece of wisdom highlights the value of collaboration over solitary efforts. Working together, partners can pool their resources and expertise, achieving greater results than either could alone. This is particularly true when partners possess deep industry knowledge or local insights, like language and customs.
Another key insight is the benefit of enabling partners to operate independently. This approach can lessen your workload, accelerate the delivery of solutions, and enhance partner satisfaction by granting them more control and autonomy.
To achieve this, providing partners with the tools and knowledge for self-sufficiency is essential. While setting up processes with a partner may initially require more effort than handling tasks yourself, this investment in empowerment is sustainable and ultimately more rewarding.
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Over the history of Wibu-Systems, there have been certain recurring reasons that have brought customers to select the CodeMeter protection and licensing solution: usually, these are hacking of software, revenues lost, the long-term limitations of a homegrown solution, the wish to supply multiple licensing models, or the plan to integrate licensing into an existing back-office system. However, once primary licensing needs are met, there is still a number of features that remains underutilized or not explored at all, just as is the case with smart phones or basic office applications.
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Recommended
Post Quantum Cryptography – The Impact on Identity
As PQC continues to be a major topic for many companies and Government Institutions, we take a dive into the topics of quantum computers, post-quantum-cryptography, and the potential relevance for (ID) use cases.
This seminar would like to present the principles of the technology and the latest developments in this field as well some indication as to the relevance, impact, and consequences on (Government) ID projects or use cases. The seminar may also look towards the relationship with these projects not only from a hardware standpoint but also from a software algorithmic stance as we migrate from current used crypto systems to quantum-proof systems.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What is a Quantum Computer, what is Post Quantum Cryptography and when will we see a quantum computer?
The migration from current crypto systems to quantum proof systems.
How will PQC and QC affect (Government) ID projects and implementations.
What will QC mean for the security proofing of ID and Information in the future.
TARGET AUDIENCE
Interested parties in the field of Identity and Security.
Government bodies looking to the future for ID document management systems
Enterprises looking to understand the potential impact of QC upon their business and industries.
PRESENTATION: Cryptoagility and Quantum Resistance: Easier Said Than Done.
Ever since the publication of Shor’s quantum algorithm for the factorization of large numbers, it has been known that quantum computers could at some point pose a threat to our communication and data security. Today we have cloud access to small, functioning quantum computers. The answer to this threat is quantum-resistant cryptography: cryptographic methods for classical computers that are robust against attacks by quantum computers.
The standardization of such methods is currently ongoing. However, these methods are based on mathematical problems, that are much younger than the factorization problem already investigated by Euclid. On the other hand, currently used cryptographic methods such as RSA or ECDSA are broken as soon as a sufficiently large quantum computer exists. Cryptoagility is therefore recommended, software should be built or modified in such a way that cryptographic algorithms are easily substitutable. But how great is the danger posed by quantum computers? To what extent is cryptography affected, and when do we need to take action? Is cryptoagility really so easy to implement in practice or is this perhaps much easier said than done?
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In today's fast-paced digital era, where industries globally are evolving through rapid digital transformation and digital assets form the core of industrial innovation, ensuring software integrity, safeguarding intellectual property, and enabling software monetization through sophisticated and adaptable software license management systems are of utmost importance.
In the realm of IoT devices and PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers), memory cards frequently serve as an essential component of the infrastructure. Recognizing this, we've chosen to expand upon this foundation by enhancing an already crucial element in practical scenarios with additional functionalities. This strategic extension aims to not only fulfill a fundamental requirement but also to elevate the utility and performance of these devices by integrating advanced features into the existing framework.
Join us for a webinar that showcases the groundbreaking collaboration between Swissbit and Wibu-Systems, introducing CmReady – a revolutionary solution at the nexus of state-of-the-art technologies designed to meet these critical needs.
What is CmReady?
CmReady revolutionizes software protection and licensing by enabling the binding of a CmActLicense – a software license container – to a certified CmReady memory device in the form factor of an SD or microSD card, rather than tethering it exclusively to the target device running the protected software. This innovative approach grants unparalleled mobility to CmActLicenses, equating their portability with that of traditional dongles, yet with the added convenience and flexibility of removable memory devices.
Why CmReady?
Industrial memory cards, integral to manufacturers for specific project needs, already populate the field in diverse capacities and features. Recognizing the necessity to enhance these deployed units for increased sustainability, CmReady emerges as a groundbreaking solution. It not only upgrades existing memory cards with new functionalities but also transforms them into secure anchors for IP protection and software licensing. This innovative approach ensures that existing infrastructure can adapt to evolving security demands without the need for complete replacement, representing a leap forward in sustainable technological advancement.
All the Benefits of CmReady in a Nutshell
With CmReady, industrial customers gain access to a plethora of benefits:
Portable licenses bound to CmReady memory cards
Effortless activation and renewal processes
Seamless compatibility with CodeMeter Runtime starting from release 8.00 and CodeMeter Embedded starting from release 3.00
Plug and Play functionality, eliminating implementation hassle
Enhanced data protection and integrity features, safeguarding against piracy and unauthorized access
The Power of Partnership: Enabling Success Together
A common piece of wisdom highlights the value of collaboration over solitary efforts. Working together, partners can pool their resources and expertise, achieving greater results than either could alone. This is particularly true when partners possess deep industry knowledge or local insights, like language and customs.
Another key insight is the benefit of enabling partners to operate independently. This approach can lessen your workload, accelerate the delivery of solutions, and enhance partner satisfaction by granting them more control and autonomy.
To achieve this, providing partners with the tools and knowledge for self-sufficiency is essential. While setting up processes with a partner may initially require more effort than handling tasks yourself, this investment in empowerment is sustainable and ultimately more rewarding.
These principles are universally relevant, particularly in the realm of software sales. CodeMeter License Portal is designed to facilitate this process with your partners. It can be tailored to fit various use cases and integrate with your existing processes, such as those in your ERP system, ensuring a customized and effective partnership.
Unleash the Power of CodeMeter - CodeMeter Basics
Over the history of Wibu-Systems, there have been certain recurring reasons that have brought customers to select the CodeMeter protection and licensing solution: usually, these are hacking of software, revenues lost, the long-term limitations of a homegrown solution, the wish to supply multiple licensing models, or the plan to integrate licensing into an existing back-office system. However, once primary licensing needs are met, there is still a number of features that remains underutilized or not explored at all, just as is the case with smart phones or basic office applications.
Whatever features you rely upon most with CodeMeter today, it can make sense for you to get acquainted with the complete set of options at your disposal, optimize your processes even further, and make full use of the investment you have made. Additionally, the new generation of CodeMeter offers some special features that we are first to introduce to the worldwide market.
This webinar is a great opportunity for our current CodeMeter customers as well as those who are early in their journey towards automated license lifecycle management; both can get a complete overview of the special features of our technology and the best practices we strongly encourage. And, all should be aware that several features of CodeMeter are supplied with free lifetime maintenance included.
Discover the product highlights and the latest innovations that come with the latest version of CodeMeter.
Keine Zeit für Leerlauf – Lizenzverfügbarkeit für Geschäftskontinuität
Für Softwarehersteller oder Hersteller von intelligenten Systemen ist Lizenzierung ein wichtiger Bestandteil der Monetarisierungsstrategie von Software und Geräten. Nur mit Hilfe einer Lizenzierungslösung wie CodeMeter ist es möglich, das wertvolle geistige Eigentum zu schützen und gleichzeitig Raubkopien zu vermeiden, und dadurch ein Maximum an Lizenzen an die Kunden zu verkaufen. Auf der anderen Seite ist für die Anwender aber auch wichtig, dass die erworbenen Lizenzen kontinuierlich zur Verfügung stehen. Einen Produktionsausfall aufgrund nicht vorhandener Lizenzen gilt es unter allen Umständen zu vermeiden. Das gilt nicht nur für automatisierte Fertigungslinien beispielsweise in der Automobilindustrie, sondern auch bei Anwendungen innerhalb kritischer Infrastrukturen oder für Unternehmen, die global tätig sind und regional auftretende Ausfälle vermeiden müssen, aber auch keine Zeitfenster mehr für Wartungsarbeiten haben.
Die kontinuierliche Bereitstellung von Lizenzen ist bei Ausfällen von Teilsystemen ein wichtiger Aspekt für bestimmte Kunden und Branchen. Dies wird über eine ausfallsichere, hochverfügbare Lizenzierungsumgebung CodeMeter TMR-Server realisiert. TMR steht dabei für „Triple Mode Redundancy“ und kombiniert ein Konzept ausfallsicherer Lizenzverfügbarkeit (2-aus-3) mit bewährter Rechenzentrumstechnologie. Ein Cluster aus fünf Servern, davon zwei Load-Balancer und drei Lizenzserver, agiert dabei als ein Verbund-System. Solange zwei der drei Lizenzserver sowie ein Load-Balancer verfügbar sind, bleibt die gesamte Lizenzierungsumgebung betriebsbereit und garantiert damit eine Hochverfügbarkeit der Lizenzen für die Anwender.
Das Webinar gibt einen Einblick in den grundlegenden Aufbau und die Funktionsweise des CodeMeter TMR-Servers.
No Time to Idle – License availability for business continuity
For software developers and the makers of smart systems, licensing is a key element in their software’s or hardware’s monetization strategies. Licensing solutions like CodeMeter empower them to protect their invaluable intellectual property, prevent product piracy, and sell as many licenses as possible. At the same time, their customers want to know that the licenses will actually be available whenever they need them: Losing valuable working hours or having your machines running idle because of a missing license would be the worst-case scenario. This goes for modern, automated production lines as are common in the automotive industry and elsewhere, but it can be even more relevant for applications running critical infrastructures or for global enterprises that cannot afford to waste their limited maintenance opportunities or even shift operations from continent to continent simply because one regional license is missing.
No Time to Idle: Making sure that licenses are reliably available to avoid systems or parts of systems falling idle might not be a matter for a 00 agent of His Majesty’s Secret Service, but it can be a matter of commercial life and death for many companies or sectors of industry. This is where CodeMeter’s Triple Mode Redundancy comes in: A high-availability licensing environment that uses a concept of two-out-of-three fail-proof TMR servers and robust data center technology. A cluster of five servers, including two load balancers and three license servers, works together to make sure that the licensing environment keeps doing its job as long as two of the three licensing servers are up and running. This guarantees that licenses are available for their users whenever they need them.
This webinar offers an insight into the design and operation of the CodeMeter TMR server concept.
Cloud-Based Licensing in Offline Scenarios
Using the cloud for software licenses is all the rage at the moment, especially for enterprise software where admins take over most of the day-to-day management tasks on behalf of the users in their organization. The advantages are obvious: Providers and users can access their license information at any time, and often usage data as well. Licenses can be changed on the fly; they can be created, updated, or revoked as needed. For admins, it becomes easy to actively organize which users can use which licenses on which devices.
Manufacturing facilities on the proverbial shop floor are, however, often not hooked up to the Internet, but instead run offline and fully autonomously. The reasons for this are obvious: Machines will not suddenly come to a standstill should the Internet connection break down. This could lead to massive costs down the line – just imagine a furnace falling cold in a steelworks. At the same time, keeping machines separate from the Internet protects against cyberattacks and sabotage. Attackers cannot tamper with devices they simply cannot reach.
As part of Industry 4.0, more and more manufacturing data is sent over the Internet, e.g., for predictive maintenance. In most cases, the data is captured and passed onto the Internet via dedicated gateways. Still, there is no direct Internet connection on the shop floor for the reasons named above.
What does that mean for licensing? A lot, for architectural purposes. The servers needed to create and manage licenses are usually on the Internet. The users, like the operators of manufacturing lines, need to activate the licenses directly on the computers and devices on the shop floor. As with the data collected for Industry 4.0 purposes, this works without a direct Internet connection. All that is needed is an intermediate medium, which can be a regular PC, to move the license from the online to the offline world. If need be, this can happen completely offline by physically sharing data.
In this webinar, we will follow the process of activating licenses with an offline device and CodeMeter License Central in detail. Which data is needed at what point? How can that data be shared? Which steps are optional and can be skipped for the offline process? And how does CodeMeter License Central make all of this simpler?
Optimizing Cloud Licensing: Strategies and Best Practices
In principle, there are two different approaches to cloud licensing: On the one hand, licenses can be created, managed, and updated via the cloud. However, the licenses are actually located on the local device and can be used offline, at least for a certain period of time. On the other hand, the licenses can be used directly in the cloud. This case requires a permanent online connection to the server in the cloud. Especially if the number of licenses used simultaneously needs to be counted reliably, such a connection to the license server is inherent. In the webinar, we will look at best practice tips for this "license server" use case.
For "always-on" licenses, CmCloudContainer is the best solution from the CodeMeter product family. The license server is operated by Wibu-Systems for you in the cloud. You create a CmCloudContainer, transfer the licenses in advance into this CmCloudContainer, and send your customer the access data (credential file). When creating the CmCloudContainer, you can choose between a Personal Container and an Enterprise Container.
The Personal Container is typically used as a container for a user (person). They can have the container active on up to three workstations. Through the License Quantity, you define on how many workstations the user can use your software simultaneously. Three active workstations do not automatically mean three licenses for simultaneous use; by default, a match of one license on one workstation is set.
The Enterprise Container is used when multiple users share a license, almost like a license pool. From an installation point of view, there is the possibility to set up a local proxy CodeMeter license server. All users access this server and do not need direct access to the cloud. This case is mainly used when devices on the shop floor are indirectly connected to the cloud via edge devices.
Alternatively, all users or devices consuming licenses can communicate directly with the CodeMeter Server in the cloud. Mixed forms of direct and indirect access through several local license servers are also possible. The exciting question here is how to disavow a device or user from the list of units of people that were initially granted access rights.
Here is where CodeMeter License Portal comes in handy and provide a turnkey solution. You and your customers create groups and users. Each user can access two CmCloudContainers, their own Personal CmCloudContainer, and the Enterprise CmCloudContainer of the group to which they belong. Depending on the use case, you can either leave the choice to your user or make it transparently in the background for them.
For a Few Licenses More
“A fistful of licenses” is no problem: You simply create them manually with CodeMeter License Editor or the command line tool CmBoxPgm. But “for a few licenses more”, you should think about automating the license creation, distribution, and management process. Enter CodeMeter License Central! As in Ennio Morricone’s famous western, where the Man with no Name and Colonel Mortimer team up to beat the bad guys, the unique strengths of CodeMeter License Central and ERP systems work best when they work together. They are not opponents, but perfect companions.
Depending on your use case, you need to decide which system should take the lead for licensing: the ERP system or CodeMeter License Central? You can also mix and match them both in a hybrid setup if you need to account for different workflows. One typical use case would be a combination of subscription licenses sold either directly by you or distributed via a reseller. In this situation, your resellers could create their licenses via a portal with CodeMeter License Central, and the ERP system is notified each month about the number of active licenses for an aggregated bill for the reseller. You could even sell more subscriptions directly by moving them from the ERP system to CodeMeter License Central. Alternatively, you can run reseller licenses first through the ERP system or direct-sale licenses first through CodeMeter License Central.
To make the link between the ERP system and CodeMeter License Central, you have a choice of a simple or a sophisticated SOAP interface, a generic connector with a REST-like API, or some custom layer to slot in between the two sides. When using the generic connector and a custom layer, you can adjust the operating logic to suit your specific needs, letting you respond to any changes in your requirements with little interventions and expansions that do not force you to move everything into the ERP system.
For SAP, you have two turnkey solutions ready and waiting: Our partner Informatics has created a framework for integration in SAP, typically used in the SD (Sales and Distribution) modules. Alternatively, CodeMeter License Central can be contacted directly from SAP’s EMS module.
One important aspect is the backchannel between CodeMeter License Central and the ERP system. When the ERP system is in the lead, the backchannel can feed back information about the current state of licenses, e.g. whether and where they are activated. All of this information can be sent via the notification dispatcher (push) or requested by the ERP system when they are needed (pull). If licenses are created in CodeMeter License Central, the backchannel is still key for the ERP system to bill those licenses, again with push or pull options available.
App Management on the Edge
The Industrial Internet of Things has well and truly arrived, with manufacturers around the world having access to a vast assortment of smart machines with clever app features for tailoring their functionality perfectly to their needs. But where to start? To really kick off the connected, app-driven, and smarter industry of tomorrow, end users need an app marketplace that they trust and know how to use, with apps that they know will work on their equipment, and everything with confidence in legal, commercial, technical and – not least – security terms. The Open Industry 4.0 Alliance, Hilscher, and Wibu-Systems have come together to showcase how this can be done with the OI4 Community App Store, Docker containers for interoperability, and CodeMeter for safe operations and secure intellectual property.
Today, the world of industrial applications is very diverse and forms a complex ecosystem that entails a multitude of technical requirements. Due to the current complexity of the brownfield environment, a broad acceptance of existing applications and their ease of use are bogged down, if not made even impossible.
The overarching goal is to place the user experience first and foremost so that end users can move to the ecosystem of their choosing, without being permanently tied to a particular infrastructure. Wider choice, more flexibility in deployment, and rapid response to changes are the direct results of these greater freedoms.
As we all know, digitization is now in full swing. Triple-digit billions are being invested in this sector, with everyone, regardless of their role in the value chain, expecting increased productivity and shorter delivery and setup times. The end game: improved inventory management, shorter market entry cycles, reduced batch sizes, and sustainability in the form of energy efficiency and optimization of the resources utilized.
The Open Industry 4.0 Alliance (OI4) gathers manufacturers and providers of Industry 4.0 solutions and services worldwide aimed at successfully transitioning customers to the Industrial Internet of Things. The group has developed a joint approach with all its members to reach tangible results on the path towards a complete digitization of the manufacturing industry.
Three main stakeholders come into play:
1. The application providers, who bundle their expertise in professional apps and make them available to a broad market;
2. The store operators, who provide the end users with a large number of applications and map legal, commercial, and technical aspects in their systems;
3. The end users, who don’t want to deal with the complexity of different store systems and expect trustworthy platforms.
Hilscher, a name that has stood for trendsetting automation solutions for over 35 years, and Wibu-Systems, a global leader in software monetization via protection, licensing, and security, are members of OI4 and ready to demonstrate this constructive attitude during this live masterclass.
Protecting and Licensing .NET Applications
.NET has seen a surge in its popularity as a development platform since 2018, powered not least by the multiplatform capabilities introduced with .NET Standard. According to the Tiobe Index, C# currently ranks in fifth spot as a choice for developers in .NET, outranked only by Python, C/C++, and Java. Python is particularly in demand for internal projects or automation use cases, as Java is for servers, and .NET for end user devices. For traditional standalone and client applications, it is safe to say that .NET is a sure second choice alongside C/C++.
Security matters, and it matters especially when applications are run out in the field, on an end user’s device. This is true for the end users themselves, as they don’t want their machines affected by malware or other harmful code, which is usually avoided by solutions like signed code. But it is also true for software developers who want to protect their work from piracy or IP theft. .NET differs from C/C++ in that the source code does not go through a compiler to run as machine code on a specific platform. Instead, it is turned into intermediate code that can still run on multiple platforms. The downside to this is that the intermediate code remains accessible for snooping and tampering by would-be attackers. License checks can be removed or replaced by forged ones, and business secrets contained in the code may simply be stolen.
Our answer: AxProtector .NET from our CodeMeter Protection Suite. AxProtector .NET works perfectly with code signatures, meaning developers do not have to make that decision between security for the end user or protection for their own IP. They can, and should, have both.
AxProtector .NET makes clever use of the easy legibility of the intermediate code: it extracts all the classes and methods contained in a .NET assembly and encrypts them piece by piece. The encrypted code is then placed back instead of the original code.
During runtime, the methods are decrypted on the fly when they are called for. The actual intermediate code remains in the device’s working memory only for a brief moment to run through the Just In Time Compiler (JIT) and create the machine code, and then it is erased from memory. A native C/C++ component, CPSRT, takes over part of the decrypting and runs cyclical security checks in the background. By comparison to a straight-up .NET solution, adding this native component increases the security of the system again. CPSRT is available for most common platforms and processes, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Intel x86 and x86-64 as well as ARM and AARCH64. It does not normally mean any limitation to the application’s ability to run on multiple platforms.
A Bit of License Management Magic
Rolling out or updating licenses should be as simple and straightforward as possible. CodeMeter already comes with lots of workflows for the purpose on its License Portal. Many jobs can be automated through that portal, and the work for the user reduced to a few simple clicks. However, all of this needs a user who would manually start the activation or updating process. For larger organizations that depend on up-to-date transparency about the licenses that are active in the field, the License Portal is also the optimum solution.
But how could you streamline the process on the user’s side even more? This is where a bit of magic comes into play in the form of the Software Activation Wizard.
CodeMeter has many different use cases covered with a choice of source code examples for different developer languages to help you put in place your own Software Activation Wizard to match your processes, workflows, and requirements. All you need is CodeMeter License Central and the right gateways in the cloud.
There are many use cases that could include automatic license updates, such as:
Adding or removing features
Revoking entire licenses
Automatically renewing subscriptions after payment has been received
Updating service technicians’ licenses
Automatically renewing maintenance contracts
Locating or locking lost licenses
An automatic update removes the need for the user to do anything. Nobody has to be reminded to activate an update over the License Portal. Not only is this easier and more comfortable for the user, it also gives you, as the vendor, full control over the process. The Software Activation Wizard can become a perfect fit for your business by being integrated in your software and tailored to your processes and your corporate design.
Automation saves costs, and it gives you a great means to collect data and retrieve it via CodeMeter License Central. One popular option is to register users during license activation, which is particularly appealing when your licenses are sold through diverse channels, but you still want to know who your users are in the wild. This even works with free software: it can be activated and registered in the same manner, with the license created in the background during activation, and you will know who is using your software.
The first step is always the most decisive
“You don’t get a second shot at a good first impression.” We have all heard this deceptively simple saying. It applies to your and our relationships with potential new customers, but it also applies to your first impression of working with our software protection and licensing technology CodeMeter. Workflows that used to be state of the art only a few years ago are no longer accepted without question today. Just think of the old habit of distributing trial versions of software on CD-ROMs or DVDs at expos. Nobody does so anymore, because very few people have the necessary drives left on their new computers. As a software developer or vendor, you will recognize many of the challenges we at Wibu-Systems face when it comes to providing test versions of our product to potential clients. That is why we have prepared a webinar to share our ideas and experiences with designing the new evaluation process with you. In this masterclass, you will discover the workflows we use with our clients, with a look behind the scenes to show you how and why we do it this way. You can do everything we have done in this process yourself with CodeMeter for your own processes.
In the past, Wibu-Systems delivered its test versions through the mail, i.e. a physical SDK toolkit including two dongles and a DVD. The disadvantage is obvious: Potential clients had to wait for the package to arrive before they could test our technology, and they had to have a DVD drive to use the included disc. In short: We needed a new approach. Our goal was to enable our clients’ testing team to start their tests immediately, while keeping the cryptographic keys needed for the process as secure as they were on the hardware-based CmDongle.
The combination of CmCloudContainers and CmDongles means that all possible requirements are covered. The cryptographic keys are always kept safe; users with online access can start to test the software immediately, and users forced to go the offline route can still carry their licenses and keys around on the CmDongle. Should the situation change later on, everything can be switched around as needed.
The CodeMeter Developer Portal is modelled on the CodeMeter License Portal. If you want, you can copy our choice of offering a combination of dongles for offline scenarios and cloud containers for a faster response. You can also get access to the CodeMeter Evaluation Portal, a trial version of the License Portal that lets you review the processes from your specific vantage point and see in action how you would produce trial versions of your software or even enable your sales partners and resellers to do so.
Protection and monetization of 3D printed objects in the spare parts business...
Bus operators depend on their vehicles, and any spare parts they need have to be available as quickly as possible. Up to now, this meant massive local stocks or complex on-demand logistics, but now digitalization is hailing in a new age. The owners and operators of Mercedes Benz and Setra busses can now produce the parts themselves with 3D printing. All they need for these mini-factories are a certified 3D printer and the licenses for the parts they want to print. Wibu-Systems’ CodeMeter provides the technological basis for a secure digital process chain with full control over how many parts can be and are printed on the ground.
Additive manufacturing was long considered a technology for nerds or select specialists. There were too many technical challenges still to be overcome, and the cost of 3D printed parts was far too high compared to conventional manufacturing. But times have changed, and many of these problems have been solved. New service concepts are being introduced and are already creating new global, digital markets. Our webinar introduces the solution thought up by Daimler Buses in partnership with the 3D printer specialists Farsoon Technology and the CodeMeter security technology of Wibu-Systems. The system solves two essential problems: The protection of the digital object data and the monetization of the entire process with a reliable license management system.
The challenge is to be able to produce parts wherever and whenever they are needed. This promises a new field for service providers to get active in, offering 3D printing services for their clients. However, when the parts are processed and printed by a third party, there need to be systems in place to protect the intellectual property involved and to make the entire value chain correctly traceable and, crucially, billable. This is where Daimler Buses has found a solution with the potential to revolutionize the current conventional parts business. The system creates exciting new prospects for the service business and for the availability of spare parts, both economically and ecologically speaking.
Many parts and components are now available in digital format on the OMNIplus 3D printing license shop. Bus operators and service partners around the world can purchase these and produce them at their leisure and at the point of need. The parts are provided as encrypted downloads. As in any online store, the buyer adds the right items to their cart. At the checkout, the buyer then receives a preprinting license to prepare the print job with the Buildstar® software made by Farsoon Technologies and the actual printing license for the right number of parts. The licenses can then be used with the Makestar® software on Farsoon-certified 3D printers. Both protected and unprotected parts can be combined in one job to reduce the printing costs. Order processing is handled by the combination of CodeMeter License Central and the SAP system already in place at Daimler Buses.
Authenticate and authorize your IIoTdevices
“Who’s who” is an important question, not just for the publishers of biographical encyclopedias. Identities and reliable ways to identify people, devices, and real or virtual objects have become more important than ever before as much of our lives, including the industrial world, has gone digital. The new opportunities coming from this also contain new challenges: From biometric passports making travel safer and more secure to eID technologies facilitating virtual transactions and digital certificates establishing themselves as the technology of choice to authenticate devices and actors in the industrial IoT, the tech world is exploring how identity can be represented both online and offline.
Digital certificates are a great tool to uniquely identify people or devices with the tried-and-tested reliability and security of a pair of cryptographic keys acting as the currency of trust: One key is public and confirmed by a neutral authority, the Certificate Authority, to belong to the person, device, or digital object, and the other is private and secure. With a certificate signed with that private key and the private key stored safely away from prying eyes, there should be no way to tamper with or steal the identity it confirms.
CodeMeter Certificate Vault is our answer: The keys are kept safe and the necessary cryptographic operations handled in the smart card chips embedded in our secure hardware elements, our CmDongles. But CodeMeter Certificate Vault is more than that: It acts as a PKCS#11-compliant token provider, acts as a go-between when keys need to be accessed, e.g. through the OpenSSL API, it works perfectly in the important M2M communication standard OPC UA, and it simplifies the often laborious process of distributing and managing certificates by bringing the whole comfort and great performance of CodeMeter License Central to the certificate world. Key pairs are created, bound to their intended container, and packaged in a secure file that can simply be shipped over to their destination. With CodeMeter’s award-winning encryption, the entire process is safe from theft and tampering. In his talk, Guenther Fischer will look at three use cases that show the power of CodeMeter Certificate Vault in action.
How and Why to Create and Sell Consumption-Based Licenses
"Pricing policy is an executive matter" – this should underline how important it is who defines prices and how they are defined. If the price is too steep, you scare off potential customers and lose revenue. If the price is too low, you may win more customers, but the revenue will plateau at some point, because the increased numbers will not make up for the financial shortfall. Low prices naturally affect profits, and sometimes dramatically so.
For software developers, retail prices are directly related to different licensing options. The most common choices are still the traditional "One-off purchases" or "One-off purchases with maintenance contracts". But there are more and more software vendors offering more modern models like subscriptions or consumption-based licenses.
This webinar will cover both the commercial and the technical sides of these licensing models, specifically consumption-based models. For pricing decisions, two factors matter most: "What does it cost me to produce the software?" and "What is the software worth to our customers?". In many cases in the market, the second question ought to take precedence both when calculating prices and when trying to sell the actual software: "This printer can print 1000 pages" might be a great statement for gadget lovers. But when trying to sell the printer’s real added value, it should be "This printer is 20% faster and can save you a lot of expensive labor."
Modern licensing models can benefit from using cloud solutions, as the cloud makes it easy to capture and collect usage data immediately and renew subscriptions on the fly. But has the whole world really gone online already? Our experts at Wibu-Systems know: That is not true. In industrial shopfloor scenarios in particular, there is so much legitimate concern about cyberattacks, sabotage, or data theft that many devices are not always available online. Often, outbound connections through dedicated gateways are the limit of what can be accepted. And availability is also another legitimate worry for many users of cloud services. It only takes a misguided shovel, and the fastest fiberoptic interconnection is cut and production comes to a standstill. What good is a 20% faster connection with a network printer, if the printer has been physically cut from the network? All the time and effort saved with modern connectivity is quickly lost again to such incidents.
The technical part of the webinar will cover the concrete ways to implement consumption-based licenses with CodeMeter.
Serving Up Features-on-Demand for Every Appetite
Nobody would eat a whole salami from end to end. We might all want to, but we wouldn’t try (or manage). Instead, we proceed slice by slice. This strategy, also called the salami tactic, can be applied to many other walks of life, and software licensing is one of them. Over their evolution, many software products tend to get bigger and bigger as the developers try to fulfil new user expectations or add new technology capabilities. Some call this bloat, but it is actually a reasonable way of responding to a growing user base with a growing set of needs and expectations. However, few users will need all of the features at once. Usually, they only need a few selected features, creating a dilemma for software developers and their clients: Users don’t want to pay for things they never use, but developers don’t want to give their work away for free.
This is where the salami tactic comes back into the picture. Called features-on-demand in the software world, it means that the users are not forced to buy or pay for the entire package (or salami), but only for the features (or slices) they want. Although the term had negative connotations for its originator, Zoltán Pfeiffer, the salami tactic is a great example of a win-win strategy. The seller gets their software to the user at a lower entry price, and the users have the opportunity to spend more for the features they want on top.
Security and Protection for Machine Learning.pptx
Machine learning. We believe that it has the potential to be a game changer that will transform the course of our future. But what actually is machine learning? The term refers to training an artificial intelligence with typically massive sets of data. The resulting trained model can then predict other data. To illustrate this, we can see how medical data could be processed automatically by an artificial intelligence.
Think of a doctor screening a patient for TBC. The doctor takes a look at the X-ray image to tell whether the patient is infected or not. This needs years of training and lots of experience. A trained AI could do the same job much more efficiently and make the technique available even to general practitioners. Imagine that a maker of TBC screening systems produces a system that read the X-ray scans and make the diagnosis by itself. All it needs is a good set of X-ray images with the right diagnoses attached. The system is trained with these scans to produce a model that can predict the diagnoses for future scans. What is immediately clear is that the data that the machine is being fed with has to be sound: All incorrect or flawed data has to be screened out, and the meaningful data has to be identified and correlated. The model that slowly grows from this process becomes the intellectual property of the manufacturer. And as soon as intellectual property comes into the picture, we get problems: There will be counterfeiters trying to build similar systems by abusing the property of the original maker. There might even be outright saboteurs who want to manipulate what the system can do in practice.
Latest at this point – much sooner, if you ask us – the device maker should start thinking about ways to protect that IP. The IP comes in multiple forms: It is the data used originally to train the model, the training setup itself, and the eventual trained model. It does not matter whether the model in question is a virtual system operating in the cloud or an actual device sitting on a desk in a doctor’s surgery room somewhere. At stake in both cases is a data model that can be accessed via the physical device and that needs to be securely stored in the cloud. And for both threats, CodeMeter has a perfect solution: Encrypting the model to protect it against unauthorized use, copying, or espionage.
License Portal - The DIY Solution
Nobody enjoys being bossed around. Nobody enjoys having their every move monitored, especially if the checks and controls make life harder than they should. But if everybody did what they wanted, there would be anarchy. And the same is true for software licensing: Without any protections, your software will eventually fall victim to thieves and pirates. Tough and strict controls can help minimize that risk. Tools like CodeMeter Protection Suite make it easy to encrypt software and bind it irrevocably to a license. But when things go wrong – maybe the computer with the license breaks – it can mean that the user cannot keep working with their software on a new device.
This is where a license portal comes into play as the perfect self-service solution for your clients. You define what your users and distribution partners should be able to do on their own. Our license portal and CodeMeter License Central keep track of all license actions of your users and partners. You can check up on what happened at your leisure and intervene if there is any funny business with anybody.
You can set smart cut-off values to stop people from abusing the freedom you have given them. When one of these points is passed, it would be up to you to allow or disallow any action manually. This is the perfect compromise between the two extremes “Allow everything first and check up on it later” and “Allow nothing and control everything yourself”.
Self-service options for single users include:
- Moving licenses to other devices / dongles / users
- Recovering lost licenses
- Creating and activating emergency licenses
- Creating demo or trial licenses
- Binding cloud licenses to other devices
- Changing the access details for cloud licenses
But license portals are not just there to make life easier for individual users. They include features and functions that are perfect for commercial clients or multi-level distribution models. On top of individual users, you can define hierarchies of different roles for different client or partner levels. For instance, administrators and partners could see all licenses for their part of the tree, while end users can only see the licenses allotted to them or their specific unit.
License portals can also be set up to allow resellers or distribution partners to create their own full-scale licenses at the point of need. As with all of these features, this is an optional setting that you could configure for all partners or only for specific partners of your choosing.
Running code in secure hardware or cloud environments
Software protection has one prime mission: To prevent your software from being run and taken apart by a debugger. Paradoxically, this makes life harder not just for hackers, but also for legitimate developers trying to test their work and remedy any bugs that might be hidden in it. Now, with CodeMoving, you can take the leap into optimal protection: CodeMoving lets you move essential code into a secure CmContainer for execution far away from the prying eyes of would-be hackers. But how can developers test their work under these circumstances? The new generation of AxProtector comes with a simulation mode, built specifically for that purpose.
CodeMeter Protection Suite includes a variety of AxProtector flavors that make protecting applications easy. There are versions of AxProtector for native Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android applications and for applications in Java, .NET, Python, and JavaScript. AxProtector itself is available as a standard version for encrypting either entire applications or individual functions. File encryption, IP Protection mode, and CodeMoving are available as optional resources.
File encryption allows your application to load protected files, such as models used for AI. The IP Protection mode works against reverse engineering without your software needing a CodeMeter license and without CodeMeter being installed on the user’s system. With CodeMoving, you can have sensitive parts of your software executed in the secure confines of a CmContainer. This masterclass will show you how to make the most of CodeMoving, including the ability to test and debug even protected code.
With CodeMoving, you can create as many code fragments as you want for execution in a CmDongle or CmCloudContainer. To move the code, the application is encrypted with AxProtector; all functions to be moved are compiled and encrypted by AxProtector and normally kept in the application like their peers with regular AxProtector protections. While AxProtector decrypts and executes the function in question in the memory of the computer during runtime, CodeMoving first moves it into a CmDongle or CmCloudContainer to be decrypted and executed with the right input parameters. The output parameters are then returned to the application. CodeMoving is more secure than AxProtector used by itself, while regular encryptions with AxProtector offer better performance for the protected code. To find the optimal balance for your application, a combination of CodeMoving and functions encrypted with AxProtector is possible.
Subscriptions - Relationships built to last
Subscriptions range somewhere between the holy grail and the gold standard for software vendors. They have already become the norm in much of the consumer world, and they are becoming increasingly popular for commercial options as well. The secret to their success is not so secret at all: For the vendor, they promise a steady stream of income. For users, they offer affordable access to software without steep upfront costs for the licenses. The costs for maintenance and further development become more predictable for both sides, and users know that their software will always be the latest version available. Despite these many plus points, the decision to switch from straight-up sales to subscription models deserves some care and attention, as it can mean a drop in actual revenue in the initial transition period.
Beyond these financial considerations, the switch to subscription models also calls for some attention to the technical nitty-gritty. There is one technical hurdle that needs to be taken in any case: All subscription models need some form of channel between the vendor and the user – magical thinking is not enough, and telepathy is out of the question. Even in today’s hyper-connected world, this is still a live issue, as there are many devices that need to operate offline, maybe even in secure and cordoned-off environments. Speaking generally, there are two possible routes to consider:
* Licenses can be created as permanent licenses that work without any further intervention. When the subscription is cancelled, the license is turned into a temporary license or deactivated on the spot, ideally with a form of receipt to record that transaction. One major drawback of this choice is that licenses may still be used by more fraudulent users (e.g. those claiming that they lost the device they had bought the license for). And even for legitimate and upright users, there is little incentive to care about deactivating their licenses properly. Still, this straightforward option has the considerable advantage that it needs hardly any updates or interventions in the case of offline use.
* Licenses can be created as temporary licenses that are renewed on a regular basis. Should a subscription be cancelled in this case, the license is given a new fixed expiry date and is not renewed anymore beyond that time limit. From the point of view of license enforcement, this is the way to go, as it essentially prevents all fraudulent use after the planned expiry date. The approach does, however, need a mechanism for regularly updating the licenses, even if they are used in offline scenarios. Preplanned push updates by file transfer can facilitate this, with lots of automation opportunities to make the process as unobtrusive as possible.
Protecting Node.js-based JavaScript Applications
JavaScript was born as a script language for dynamic websites in the infancy of the Internet in 1995. Today’s JavaScript is a different beast altogether, as it has matured to a language of choice for desktop and server applications – one more reason for its popularity, currently ranking 7th in the TIOBE index of popular programming languages. For server and desktop applications in particular, JavaScript now does far more than simply displaying interface elements. In many cases, even the most sensitive and precious operating logics of applications are realized in JavaScript.
Straightforward server applications offered as Software-as-a-Service usually have little need for licensing or added protections. But stable Internet connections are not a given, even in today’s hyperconnected world. The recent 7-hour outage of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram showed the world how fragile the digital infrastructure can be. Clients and users need an option to run mission-critical applications in private clouds, on edge devices, or even completely on-premises. JavaScript can accommodate all these scenarios without the applications needing any rewrite. However, new software protection and licensing concerns need to be addressed if this route is taken: While server applications were safe and sound in their maker’s own data center, where one only had to keep track of the number of registered users, now applications are let out “into the wild”, and JavaScript’s very nature makes it easy for skilled attackers to remove or get around license checks. Unless you add AxProtector JavaScript.
Most server or desktop applications worth to be protected are based on Node.js, which is the standard use case AxProtector JavaScript was designed for. Like its siblings AxProtector Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, .NET, Java, and Python, AxProtector JavaScript is made to operate “in the wild” and to guarantee top protection by encrypting the executable code and optionally integrating license checks right in the application itself. The protected code is only ever decrypted when it is actively being used; code not needed at any given point remains encrypted and cannot be extracted from the host computer’s memory.
You can even encrypt separate parts of your code with individual licenses and cryptographic keys for a more granular and modular protection of your software. With modular encryption, you can deliver your applications will all features onboard, and allow your users to activate and use the features they need by buying additional licenses.
Safer to market: Licensing and e-commerce integrated
In our digital age, it is software that makes the world go round. Companies that used to sell hardware only are now letting software and firmware determine the feature sets of their products. The same is true for conventional software houses as well, where lifetime licenses are being replaced with pay-per-feature or subscription models. But this freedom of choice and added value for the user comes at a price: The IP and development efforts invested in the products. To monetize these investments, vendors need ways to market, manage, and enforce licenses, and not just for the initial purchase, but also for subsequent aftermarket feature activation or subscription renewals.
In addition to entitlement management and license enforcement, commercial concerns play a key role in these processes. The list of requirements from software and device manufacturers is long, as is the list of legal factors to be considered. This is where e-commerce providers like Cleverbridge, who specialize in these processes, come into their own. Cleverbridge’s features and capabilities leave little to be desired: their solution handles local payment methods around the world, regulatory compliance, and even automatic billing for license renewals.
Cleverbridge's e-commerce platform covers the commercial part of the requirements, while CodeMeter License Central is there for entitlement management and enforcement. Both systems integrate and work perfectly with each other out of the box to offer maximum added value for their users. And at the same time, both systems come with additional interfaces to link up with other systems, such as ERP and CRM. Everything is built to fit neatly into even very heterogeneous landscapes.
Combined and integrated, CodeMeter License Central and the Cleverbridge e-commerce platform automate two separate processes: Payment and billing on one side and entitlement and license enforcement on the other. The Cleverbridge e-commerce platform can call an external license engine for delivering entitlements, and CodeMeter License Central is ready to work as the endpoint for this call. A small piece of Software, the Cleverbridge Connector, maps the data fields between the Clverbridge e-commerce platform and CodeMeter License Central and builds a bridge between the two systems. The integrated solution supports multiple use cases, including the most common types:
- Entitlements with perpetual licenses
- Creating feature-based licenses
- Managing subscriptions
When a product is purchased or a subscription is renewed, the system checks that the license entitlement has been issued or updated accordingly. Simply put: The Cleverbridge platform takes care of communicating with customers, and CodeMeter License Central manages entitlement and license enforcement for the software.
Managing entitlements through the product lifecycle
The ability to monetize software products has become one of the factors deciding the fate and fortunes of companies, be they traditional software businesses or active players in the increasingly software-dependent industrial world. Flexible licensing can be the perfect way for them to respond to the many needs and requirements of different customer communities or local markets.
Successfully integrating a licensing model in a software product is only half the story, however, as companies also have to be able to distribute and manage these licenses (or entitlements) transparently and effectively, ideally in an as automated fashion as possible. This means that licensing is not a technical matter reserved solely for software developers, but an issue that concerns many functions and departments across the entire business.
When introducing a central entitlement management system, the challenge is to establish a clean and standard process that can accommodate all the other processes already in place, while being pliable enough to leave room for new models and innovations. The resulting system has to have the right interfaces to link up with the existing system landscape in order to meet the needs of all the many stakeholders involved in or affected by it.
There is a system designed to master this balancing act: The combined power of SAP Entitlement Management System (EMS) and CodeMeter. It is the perfect synthesis of a smart back-office solution for managing entitlements and a sophisticated technology for monitoring the entitlements on the end user’s side. 1 plus 1 equals 3 in this case, as the benefits of the combined system are far more than the sum of its parts.
Your CODESYS Applications, Protected and Licensed
In the past, the need to protect the software on industrial controllers used to come as an afterthought, but no longer: Software protection has long since become a top priority for the people in charge of keeping industrial and mechanical engineering enterprises safe and secure. And this goes beyond the critical infrastructures that regulators already had in their sights. The momentum for more security now comes from the market itself, with ever louder calls to safeguard industrial networks against attacks e.g. by complying with the international IEC 62443 standards. A look at the news shows that this is happening not a moment too soon: Cyberattacks against businesses and industrial installations are a constant threat, and the ability to protect the invaluable intellectual property invested in or handled by the software has become a game changer.
On top of pure security concerns, companies will want to control access to their systems or software e.g. for certified service technicians or as a goods means to monetize a device’s add-on features and functions. Users can purchase the licenses they need from the flexible choice of licensing models they are offered, which can include popular options like time-based (subscriptions) or usage-based (pay-per-use) licenses. They allow providers to tailor their licensing models perfectly to match the local market’s needs without having to go back to doctoring their software.
CODESYS seized upon these trends at a very early stage. The leading hardware-independent IEC 61131-3 programming system used to create controller applications under Windows is equipped with Wibu-Systems’ CodeMeter technology – the perfect toolkit for putting in place just the right protection, authentication, and licensing solutions.
Creating, delivering, and managing licenses made easy
Putting a license on a dongle and sending it to its intended user seems child’s play. But what if the license needs to be bound to a specific device to work as an offline license, or assigned to a specific user as a user-bound cloud license? How do processes have to change when licenses get updated? What happens when users lose or break their devices and the licenses stored on them? Or when users forget their login credentials? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a single system that has all these processes covered under one roof? CodeMeter License Central is the versatile license and entitlement management system you are looking for – the entire license lifecycle is covered, whether we are talking about licenses on physical dongles, files on PCs, or user accounts living in the cloud.
Just like the product items created in a typical ERP system, CodeMeter License Central works by defining Product Items that represent digital products sold or licensed either individually or as bundles. The configuration lets you choose the license form and binding type, with all the many options supported by CodeMeter at your disposal, ranging from standalone licenses, floating network licenses, named user licenses, to subscription, feature-on-demand, pay-per-use or any type of trial and demo licenses.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About CodeMeter FSBs
The Wibu-Systems’ world also has its secrets and mysteries – like the Firm Security Box or FSB. The idea of the FSB was born alongside the very first WibuKeys back in 1989 and has stayed with us up to the newest versions of CodeMeter.
Any secure license has to be based on cryptography. The standard is for licenses to be signed with their creator’s private key, and the validity of the signature is checked on the user’s side with the fitting public key. However, if the private key ever ends up in the wrong hands, unscrupulous actors would have everything they need to create as many apparently valid licenses as they wish – the worst thinkable outcome. That is why keeping private keys safely locked away is one of the most important jobs for keeping the entire system secure.
Compared to other run-of-the-mill licensing systems, Wibu-Systems does not rely on checking the validity of the license alone. With CodeMeter – and to some extent with its predecessor WibuKey since 1989 – every license is given a secret (license) key that is tucked away and kept safe in the license itself. These keys are needed to decrypt the software. Keys are the same for the same license and different for different licenses. A perfect setup, but it requires a secure anchor to create these license keys, which should be considered just as critical as the private signature keys. On top of the licenses, the software itself could be signed to allow it to check its own authenticity, which is particularly helpful for software packages that include applications and libraries that should be able to verify each other. Again, this needs a private signature key – with all the mentioned concerns about their possible loss.
To encrypt software, the right license key for the right license is needed, which could be got by creating a fitting license already before one starts the encryption. This is a possible, but rather cumbersome approach, so a solution is needed to give software developers a secure environment in which all license keys are available or at least simulated.
And this is where the FSB comes into the picture: It houses the private signature keys and secure anchors for creating licenses and the developer’s own Wibu-Systems licenses.
Protecting Python applications the simpler way
All software ought to be protected, not just applications made with one of the usual suspects: C or Java. In recent years, Python has become an increasingly attractive choice for software developers, not least with the language’s commitment to simplicity and clarity, but also the sheer range of solid, up-to-date resources for AI or machine learning applications. The newfound popularity of the language becomes plain when one sees its ranking in the TIOBE Index, following hot on the heels of the two traditional favorites.
But simple and clear also means: an appealing target for would-be attackers. And Python does make it unnecessarily easy for them to access the code. If it is not available in plaintext form from the outset, but precompiled with Cython, skilled attackers would still have no major problems with getting back to the original code by using common hacking tools. Especially in innovation-heavy areas like AI, that code can represent a substantial intellectual and commercial asset, making it perfect prey for unscrupulous hackers.
Wibu-Systems believes that only solid encryption can truly protect sensitive code from these threats. That is why Python support has been added to the popular CodeMeter Protection Suite. The traditional approach would be to transform Python code into a native application with tools like Cython and to then protect that application with CodeMeter’s powerful encryption. But there is a second, revolutionary approach: Encrypting the Python code itself in its original form. With CodeMeter’s technology, the code is only decrypted when it is actually needed and remains encrypted at all other times, so that it could not simply be extracted from working memory. CodeMeter can also encrypt different parts of the code with separate licenses or cryptographic keys to allow smart modular protections for the finished application.
OpenFOAM solver for Helmholtz equation, helmholtzFoam / helmholtzBubbleFoam
In this slide, we show the simulation example and the way to compile this solver.
In this solver, the Helmholtz equation can be solved by helmholtzFoam. Also, the Helmholtz equation with uniformly dispersed bubbles can be simulated by helmholtzBubbleFoam.
Developing Distributed High-performance Computing Capabilities of an Open Sci...
COVID-19 had an unprecedented impact on scientific collaboration. The pandemic and its broad response from the scientific community has forged new relationships among public health practitioners, mathematical modelers, and scientific computing specialists, while revealing critical gaps in exploiting advanced computing systems to support urgent decision making. Informed by our team’s work in applying high-performance computing in support of public health decision makers during the COVID-19 pandemic, we present how Globus technologies are enabling the development of an open science platform for robust epidemic analysis, with the goal of collaborative, secure, distributed, on-demand, and fast time-to-solution analyses to support public health.
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For a Few Licenses More
“A fistful of licenses” is no problem: You simply create them manually with CodeMeter License Editor or the command line tool CmBoxPgm. But “for a few licenses more”, you should think about automating the license creation, distribution, and management process. Enter CodeMeter License Central! As in Ennio Morricone’s famous western, where the Man with no Name and Colonel Mortimer team up to beat the bad guys, the unique strengths of CodeMeter License Central and ERP systems work best when they work together. They are not opponents, but perfect companions.
Depending on your use case, you need to decide which system should take the lead for licensing: the ERP system or CodeMeter License Central? You can also mix and match them both in a hybrid setup if you need to account for different workflows. One typical use case would be a combination of subscription licenses sold either directly by you or distributed via a reseller. In this situation, your resellers could create their licenses via a portal with CodeMeter License Central, and the ERP system is notified each month about the number of active licenses for an aggregated bill for the reseller. You could even sell more subscriptions directly by moving them from the ERP system to CodeMeter License Central. Alternatively, you can run reseller licenses first through the ERP system or direct-sale licenses first through CodeMeter License Central.
To make the link between the ERP system and CodeMeter License Central, you have a choice of a simple or a sophisticated SOAP interface, a generic connector with a REST-like API, or some custom layer to slot in between the two sides. When using the generic connector and a custom layer, you can adjust the operating logic to suit your specific needs, letting you respond to any changes in your requirements with little interventions and expansions that do not force you to move everything into the ERP system.
For SAP, you have two turnkey solutions ready and waiting: Our partner Informatics has created a framework for integration in SAP, typically used in the SD (Sales and Distribution) modules. Alternatively, CodeMeter License Central can be contacted directly from SAP’s EMS module.
One important aspect is the backchannel between CodeMeter License Central and the ERP system. When the ERP system is in the lead, the backchannel can feed back information about the current state of licenses, e.g. whether and where they are activated. All of this information can be sent via the notification dispatcher (push) or requested by the ERP system when they are needed (pull). If licenses are created in CodeMeter License Central, the backchannel is still key for the ERP system to bill those licenses, again with push or pull options available.
App Management on the Edge
The Industrial Internet of Things has well and truly arrived, with manufacturers around the world having access to a vast assortment of smart machines with clever app features for tailoring their functionality perfectly to their needs. But where to start? To really kick off the connected, app-driven, and smarter industry of tomorrow, end users need an app marketplace that they trust and know how to use, with apps that they know will work on their equipment, and everything with confidence in legal, commercial, technical and – not least – security terms. The Open Industry 4.0 Alliance, Hilscher, and Wibu-Systems have come together to showcase how this can be done with the OI4 Community App Store, Docker containers for interoperability, and CodeMeter for safe operations and secure intellectual property.
Today, the world of industrial applications is very diverse and forms a complex ecosystem that entails a multitude of technical requirements. Due to the current complexity of the brownfield environment, a broad acceptance of existing applications and their ease of use are bogged down, if not made even impossible.
The overarching goal is to place the user experience first and foremost so that end users can move to the ecosystem of their choosing, without being permanently tied to a particular infrastructure. Wider choice, more flexibility in deployment, and rapid response to changes are the direct results of these greater freedoms.
As we all know, digitization is now in full swing. Triple-digit billions are being invested in this sector, with everyone, regardless of their role in the value chain, expecting increased productivity and shorter delivery and setup times. The end game: improved inventory management, shorter market entry cycles, reduced batch sizes, and sustainability in the form of energy efficiency and optimization of the resources utilized.
The Open Industry 4.0 Alliance (OI4) gathers manufacturers and providers of Industry 4.0 solutions and services worldwide aimed at successfully transitioning customers to the Industrial Internet of Things. The group has developed a joint approach with all its members to reach tangible results on the path towards a complete digitization of the manufacturing industry.
Three main stakeholders come into play:
1. The application providers, who bundle their expertise in professional apps and make them available to a broad market;
2. The store operators, who provide the end users with a large number of applications and map legal, commercial, and technical aspects in their systems;
3. The end users, who don’t want to deal with the complexity of different store systems and expect trustworthy platforms.
Hilscher, a name that has stood for trendsetting automation solutions for over 35 years, and Wibu-Systems, a global leader in software monetization via protection, licensing, and security, are members of OI4 and ready to demonstrate this constructive attitude during this live masterclass.
Protecting and Licensing .NET Applications
.NET has seen a surge in its popularity as a development platform since 2018, powered not least by the multiplatform capabilities introduced with .NET Standard. According to the Tiobe Index, C# currently ranks in fifth spot as a choice for developers in .NET, outranked only by Python, C/C++, and Java. Python is particularly in demand for internal projects or automation use cases, as Java is for servers, and .NET for end user devices. For traditional standalone and client applications, it is safe to say that .NET is a sure second choice alongside C/C++.
Security matters, and it matters especially when applications are run out in the field, on an end user’s device. This is true for the end users themselves, as they don’t want their machines affected by malware or other harmful code, which is usually avoided by solutions like signed code. But it is also true for software developers who want to protect their work from piracy or IP theft. .NET differs from C/C++ in that the source code does not go through a compiler to run as machine code on a specific platform. Instead, it is turned into intermediate code that can still run on multiple platforms. The downside to this is that the intermediate code remains accessible for snooping and tampering by would-be attackers. License checks can be removed or replaced by forged ones, and business secrets contained in the code may simply be stolen.
Our answer: AxProtector .NET from our CodeMeter Protection Suite. AxProtector .NET works perfectly with code signatures, meaning developers do not have to make that decision between security for the end user or protection for their own IP. They can, and should, have both.
AxProtector .NET makes clever use of the easy legibility of the intermediate code: it extracts all the classes and methods contained in a .NET assembly and encrypts them piece by piece. The encrypted code is then placed back instead of the original code.
During runtime, the methods are decrypted on the fly when they are called for. The actual intermediate code remains in the device’s working memory only for a brief moment to run through the Just In Time Compiler (JIT) and create the machine code, and then it is erased from memory. A native C/C++ component, CPSRT, takes over part of the decrypting and runs cyclical security checks in the background. By comparison to a straight-up .NET solution, adding this native component increases the security of the system again. CPSRT is available for most common platforms and processes, including Windows, macOS, Linux, Intel x86 and x86-64 as well as ARM and AARCH64. It does not normally mean any limitation to the application’s ability to run on multiple platforms.
A Bit of License Management Magic
Rolling out or updating licenses should be as simple and straightforward as possible. CodeMeter already comes with lots of workflows for the purpose on its License Portal. Many jobs can be automated through that portal, and the work for the user reduced to a few simple clicks. However, all of this needs a user who would manually start the activation or updating process. For larger organizations that depend on up-to-date transparency about the licenses that are active in the field, the License Portal is also the optimum solution.
But how could you streamline the process on the user’s side even more? This is where a bit of magic comes into play in the form of the Software Activation Wizard.
CodeMeter has many different use cases covered with a choice of source code examples for different developer languages to help you put in place your own Software Activation Wizard to match your processes, workflows, and requirements. All you need is CodeMeter License Central and the right gateways in the cloud.
There are many use cases that could include automatic license updates, such as:
Adding or removing features
Revoking entire licenses
Automatically renewing subscriptions after payment has been received
Updating service technicians’ licenses
Automatically renewing maintenance contracts
Locating or locking lost licenses
An automatic update removes the need for the user to do anything. Nobody has to be reminded to activate an update over the License Portal. Not only is this easier and more comfortable for the user, it also gives you, as the vendor, full control over the process. The Software Activation Wizard can become a perfect fit for your business by being integrated in your software and tailored to your processes and your corporate design.
Automation saves costs, and it gives you a great means to collect data and retrieve it via CodeMeter License Central. One popular option is to register users during license activation, which is particularly appealing when your licenses are sold through diverse channels, but you still want to know who your users are in the wild. This even works with free software: it can be activated and registered in the same manner, with the license created in the background during activation, and you will know who is using your software.
The first step is always the most decisive
“You don’t get a second shot at a good first impression.” We have all heard this deceptively simple saying. It applies to your and our relationships with potential new customers, but it also applies to your first impression of working with our software protection and licensing technology CodeMeter. Workflows that used to be state of the art only a few years ago are no longer accepted without question today. Just think of the old habit of distributing trial versions of software on CD-ROMs or DVDs at expos. Nobody does so anymore, because very few people have the necessary drives left on their new computers. As a software developer or vendor, you will recognize many of the challenges we at Wibu-Systems face when it comes to providing test versions of our product to potential clients. That is why we have prepared a webinar to share our ideas and experiences with designing the new evaluation process with you. In this masterclass, you will discover the workflows we use with our clients, with a look behind the scenes to show you how and why we do it this way. You can do everything we have done in this process yourself with CodeMeter for your own processes.
In the past, Wibu-Systems delivered its test versions through the mail, i.e. a physical SDK toolkit including two dongles and a DVD. The disadvantage is obvious: Potential clients had to wait for the package to arrive before they could test our technology, and they had to have a DVD drive to use the included disc. In short: We needed a new approach. Our goal was to enable our clients’ testing team to start their tests immediately, while keeping the cryptographic keys needed for the process as secure as they were on the hardware-based CmDongle.
The combination of CmCloudContainers and CmDongles means that all possible requirements are covered. The cryptographic keys are always kept safe; users with online access can start to test the software immediately, and users forced to go the offline route can still carry their licenses and keys around on the CmDongle. Should the situation change later on, everything can be switched around as needed.
The CodeMeter Developer Portal is modelled on the CodeMeter License Portal. If you want, you can copy our choice of offering a combination of dongles for offline scenarios and cloud containers for a faster response. You can also get access to the CodeMeter Evaluation Portal, a trial version of the License Portal that lets you review the processes from your specific vantage point and see in action how you would produce trial versions of your software or even enable your sales partners and resellers to do so.
Protection and monetization of 3D printed objects in the spare parts business...
Bus operators depend on their vehicles, and any spare parts they need have to be available as quickly as possible. Up to now, this meant massive local stocks or complex on-demand logistics, but now digitalization is hailing in a new age. The owners and operators of Mercedes Benz and Setra busses can now produce the parts themselves with 3D printing. All they need for these mini-factories are a certified 3D printer and the licenses for the parts they want to print. Wibu-Systems’ CodeMeter provides the technological basis for a secure digital process chain with full control over how many parts can be and are printed on the ground.
Additive manufacturing was long considered a technology for nerds or select specialists. There were too many technical challenges still to be overcome, and the cost of 3D printed parts was far too high compared to conventional manufacturing. But times have changed, and many of these problems have been solved. New service concepts are being introduced and are already creating new global, digital markets. Our webinar introduces the solution thought up by Daimler Buses in partnership with the 3D printer specialists Farsoon Technology and the CodeMeter security technology of Wibu-Systems. The system solves two essential problems: The protection of the digital object data and the monetization of the entire process with a reliable license management system.
The challenge is to be able to produce parts wherever and whenever they are needed. This promises a new field for service providers to get active in, offering 3D printing services for their clients. However, when the parts are processed and printed by a third party, there need to be systems in place to protect the intellectual property involved and to make the entire value chain correctly traceable and, crucially, billable. This is where Daimler Buses has found a solution with the potential to revolutionize the current conventional parts business. The system creates exciting new prospects for the service business and for the availability of spare parts, both economically and ecologically speaking.
Many parts and components are now available in digital format on the OMNIplus 3D printing license shop. Bus operators and service partners around the world can purchase these and produce them at their leisure and at the point of need. The parts are provided as encrypted downloads. As in any online store, the buyer adds the right items to their cart. At the checkout, the buyer then receives a preprinting license to prepare the print job with the Buildstar® software made by Farsoon Technologies and the actual printing license for the right number of parts. The licenses can then be used with the Makestar® software on Farsoon-certified 3D printers. Both protected and unprotected parts can be combined in one job to reduce the printing costs. Order processing is handled by the combination of CodeMeter License Central and the SAP system already in place at Daimler Buses.
Authenticate and authorize your IIoTdevices
“Who’s who” is an important question, not just for the publishers of biographical encyclopedias. Identities and reliable ways to identify people, devices, and real or virtual objects have become more important than ever before as much of our lives, including the industrial world, has gone digital. The new opportunities coming from this also contain new challenges: From biometric passports making travel safer and more secure to eID technologies facilitating virtual transactions and digital certificates establishing themselves as the technology of choice to authenticate devices and actors in the industrial IoT, the tech world is exploring how identity can be represented both online and offline.
Digital certificates are a great tool to uniquely identify people or devices with the tried-and-tested reliability and security of a pair of cryptographic keys acting as the currency of trust: One key is public and confirmed by a neutral authority, the Certificate Authority, to belong to the person, device, or digital object, and the other is private and secure. With a certificate signed with that private key and the private key stored safely away from prying eyes, there should be no way to tamper with or steal the identity it confirms.
CodeMeter Certificate Vault is our answer: The keys are kept safe and the necessary cryptographic operations handled in the smart card chips embedded in our secure hardware elements, our CmDongles. But CodeMeter Certificate Vault is more than that: It acts as a PKCS#11-compliant token provider, acts as a go-between when keys need to be accessed, e.g. through the OpenSSL API, it works perfectly in the important M2M communication standard OPC UA, and it simplifies the often laborious process of distributing and managing certificates by bringing the whole comfort and great performance of CodeMeter License Central to the certificate world. Key pairs are created, bound to their intended container, and packaged in a secure file that can simply be shipped over to their destination. With CodeMeter’s award-winning encryption, the entire process is safe from theft and tampering. In his talk, Guenther Fischer will look at three use cases that show the power of CodeMeter Certificate Vault in action.
How and Why to Create and Sell Consumption-Based Licenses
"Pricing policy is an executive matter" – this should underline how important it is who defines prices and how they are defined. If the price is too steep, you scare off potential customers and lose revenue. If the price is too low, you may win more customers, but the revenue will plateau at some point, because the increased numbers will not make up for the financial shortfall. Low prices naturally affect profits, and sometimes dramatically so.
For software developers, retail prices are directly related to different licensing options. The most common choices are still the traditional "One-off purchases" or "One-off purchases with maintenance contracts". But there are more and more software vendors offering more modern models like subscriptions or consumption-based licenses.
This webinar will cover both the commercial and the technical sides of these licensing models, specifically consumption-based models. For pricing decisions, two factors matter most: "What does it cost me to produce the software?" and "What is the software worth to our customers?". In many cases in the market, the second question ought to take precedence both when calculating prices and when trying to sell the actual software: "This printer can print 1000 pages" might be a great statement for gadget lovers. But when trying to sell the printer’s real added value, it should be "This printer is 20% faster and can save you a lot of expensive labor."
Modern licensing models can benefit from using cloud solutions, as the cloud makes it easy to capture and collect usage data immediately and renew subscriptions on the fly. But has the whole world really gone online already? Our experts at Wibu-Systems know: That is not true. In industrial shopfloor scenarios in particular, there is so much legitimate concern about cyberattacks, sabotage, or data theft that many devices are not always available online. Often, outbound connections through dedicated gateways are the limit of what can be accepted. And availability is also another legitimate worry for many users of cloud services. It only takes a misguided shovel, and the fastest fiberoptic interconnection is cut and production comes to a standstill. What good is a 20% faster connection with a network printer, if the printer has been physically cut from the network? All the time and effort saved with modern connectivity is quickly lost again to such incidents.
The technical part of the webinar will cover the concrete ways to implement consumption-based licenses with CodeMeter.
Serving Up Features-on-Demand for Every Appetite
Nobody would eat a whole salami from end to end. We might all want to, but we wouldn’t try (or manage). Instead, we proceed slice by slice. This strategy, also called the salami tactic, can be applied to many other walks of life, and software licensing is one of them. Over their evolution, many software products tend to get bigger and bigger as the developers try to fulfil new user expectations or add new technology capabilities. Some call this bloat, but it is actually a reasonable way of responding to a growing user base with a growing set of needs and expectations. However, few users will need all of the features at once. Usually, they only need a few selected features, creating a dilemma for software developers and their clients: Users don’t want to pay for things they never use, but developers don’t want to give their work away for free.
This is where the salami tactic comes back into the picture. Called features-on-demand in the software world, it means that the users are not forced to buy or pay for the entire package (or salami), but only for the features (or slices) they want. Although the term had negative connotations for its originator, Zoltán Pfeiffer, the salami tactic is a great example of a win-win strategy. The seller gets their software to the user at a lower entry price, and the users have the opportunity to spend more for the features they want on top.
Security and Protection for Machine Learning.pptx
Machine learning. We believe that it has the potential to be a game changer that will transform the course of our future. But what actually is machine learning? The term refers to training an artificial intelligence with typically massive sets of data. The resulting trained model can then predict other data. To illustrate this, we can see how medical data could be processed automatically by an artificial intelligence.
Think of a doctor screening a patient for TBC. The doctor takes a look at the X-ray image to tell whether the patient is infected or not. This needs years of training and lots of experience. A trained AI could do the same job much more efficiently and make the technique available even to general practitioners. Imagine that a maker of TBC screening systems produces a system that read the X-ray scans and make the diagnosis by itself. All it needs is a good set of X-ray images with the right diagnoses attached. The system is trained with these scans to produce a model that can predict the diagnoses for future scans. What is immediately clear is that the data that the machine is being fed with has to be sound: All incorrect or flawed data has to be screened out, and the meaningful data has to be identified and correlated. The model that slowly grows from this process becomes the intellectual property of the manufacturer. And as soon as intellectual property comes into the picture, we get problems: There will be counterfeiters trying to build similar systems by abusing the property of the original maker. There might even be outright saboteurs who want to manipulate what the system can do in practice.
Latest at this point – much sooner, if you ask us – the device maker should start thinking about ways to protect that IP. The IP comes in multiple forms: It is the data used originally to train the model, the training setup itself, and the eventual trained model. It does not matter whether the model in question is a virtual system operating in the cloud or an actual device sitting on a desk in a doctor’s surgery room somewhere. At stake in both cases is a data model that can be accessed via the physical device and that needs to be securely stored in the cloud. And for both threats, CodeMeter has a perfect solution: Encrypting the model to protect it against unauthorized use, copying, or espionage.
License Portal - The DIY Solution
Nobody enjoys being bossed around. Nobody enjoys having their every move monitored, especially if the checks and controls make life harder than they should. But if everybody did what they wanted, there would be anarchy. And the same is true for software licensing: Without any protections, your software will eventually fall victim to thieves and pirates. Tough and strict controls can help minimize that risk. Tools like CodeMeter Protection Suite make it easy to encrypt software and bind it irrevocably to a license. But when things go wrong – maybe the computer with the license breaks – it can mean that the user cannot keep working with their software on a new device.
This is where a license portal comes into play as the perfect self-service solution for your clients. You define what your users and distribution partners should be able to do on their own. Our license portal and CodeMeter License Central keep track of all license actions of your users and partners. You can check up on what happened at your leisure and intervene if there is any funny business with anybody.
You can set smart cut-off values to stop people from abusing the freedom you have given them. When one of these points is passed, it would be up to you to allow or disallow any action manually. This is the perfect compromise between the two extremes “Allow everything first and check up on it later” and “Allow nothing and control everything yourself”.
Self-service options for single users include:
- Moving licenses to other devices / dongles / users
- Recovering lost licenses
- Creating and activating emergency licenses
- Creating demo or trial licenses
- Binding cloud licenses to other devices
- Changing the access details for cloud licenses
But license portals are not just there to make life easier for individual users. They include features and functions that are perfect for commercial clients or multi-level distribution models. On top of individual users, you can define hierarchies of different roles for different client or partner levels. For instance, administrators and partners could see all licenses for their part of the tree, while end users can only see the licenses allotted to them or their specific unit.
License portals can also be set up to allow resellers or distribution partners to create their own full-scale licenses at the point of need. As with all of these features, this is an optional setting that you could configure for all partners or only for specific partners of your choosing.
Running code in secure hardware or cloud environments
Software protection has one prime mission: To prevent your software from being run and taken apart by a debugger. Paradoxically, this makes life harder not just for hackers, but also for legitimate developers trying to test their work and remedy any bugs that might be hidden in it. Now, with CodeMoving, you can take the leap into optimal protection: CodeMoving lets you move essential code into a secure CmContainer for execution far away from the prying eyes of would-be hackers. But how can developers test their work under these circumstances? The new generation of AxProtector comes with a simulation mode, built specifically for that purpose.
CodeMeter Protection Suite includes a variety of AxProtector flavors that make protecting applications easy. There are versions of AxProtector for native Windows, macOS, Linux, and Android applications and for applications in Java, .NET, Python, and JavaScript. AxProtector itself is available as a standard version for encrypting either entire applications or individual functions. File encryption, IP Protection mode, and CodeMoving are available as optional resources.
File encryption allows your application to load protected files, such as models used for AI. The IP Protection mode works against reverse engineering without your software needing a CodeMeter license and without CodeMeter being installed on the user’s system. With CodeMoving, you can have sensitive parts of your software executed in the secure confines of a CmContainer. This masterclass will show you how to make the most of CodeMoving, including the ability to test and debug even protected code.
With CodeMoving, you can create as many code fragments as you want for execution in a CmDongle or CmCloudContainer. To move the code, the application is encrypted with AxProtector; all functions to be moved are compiled and encrypted by AxProtector and normally kept in the application like their peers with regular AxProtector protections. While AxProtector decrypts and executes the function in question in the memory of the computer during runtime, CodeMoving first moves it into a CmDongle or CmCloudContainer to be decrypted and executed with the right input parameters. The output parameters are then returned to the application. CodeMoving is more secure than AxProtector used by itself, while regular encryptions with AxProtector offer better performance for the protected code. To find the optimal balance for your application, a combination of CodeMoving and functions encrypted with AxProtector is possible.
Subscriptions - Relationships built to last
Subscriptions range somewhere between the holy grail and the gold standard for software vendors. They have already become the norm in much of the consumer world, and they are becoming increasingly popular for commercial options as well. The secret to their success is not so secret at all: For the vendor, they promise a steady stream of income. For users, they offer affordable access to software without steep upfront costs for the licenses. The costs for maintenance and further development become more predictable for both sides, and users know that their software will always be the latest version available. Despite these many plus points, the decision to switch from straight-up sales to subscription models deserves some care and attention, as it can mean a drop in actual revenue in the initial transition period.
Beyond these financial considerations, the switch to subscription models also calls for some attention to the technical nitty-gritty. There is one technical hurdle that needs to be taken in any case: All subscription models need some form of channel between the vendor and the user – magical thinking is not enough, and telepathy is out of the question. Even in today’s hyper-connected world, this is still a live issue, as there are many devices that need to operate offline, maybe even in secure and cordoned-off environments. Speaking generally, there are two possible routes to consider:
* Licenses can be created as permanent licenses that work without any further intervention. When the subscription is cancelled, the license is turned into a temporary license or deactivated on the spot, ideally with a form of receipt to record that transaction. One major drawback of this choice is that licenses may still be used by more fraudulent users (e.g. those claiming that they lost the device they had bought the license for). And even for legitimate and upright users, there is little incentive to care about deactivating their licenses properly. Still, this straightforward option has the considerable advantage that it needs hardly any updates or interventions in the case of offline use.
* Licenses can be created as temporary licenses that are renewed on a regular basis. Should a subscription be cancelled in this case, the license is given a new fixed expiry date and is not renewed anymore beyond that time limit. From the point of view of license enforcement, this is the way to go, as it essentially prevents all fraudulent use after the planned expiry date. The approach does, however, need a mechanism for regularly updating the licenses, even if they are used in offline scenarios. Preplanned push updates by file transfer can facilitate this, with lots of automation opportunities to make the process as unobtrusive as possible.
Protecting Node.js-based JavaScript Applications
JavaScript was born as a script language for dynamic websites in the infancy of the Internet in 1995. Today’s JavaScript is a different beast altogether, as it has matured to a language of choice for desktop and server applications – one more reason for its popularity, currently ranking 7th in the TIOBE index of popular programming languages. For server and desktop applications in particular, JavaScript now does far more than simply displaying interface elements. In many cases, even the most sensitive and precious operating logics of applications are realized in JavaScript.
Straightforward server applications offered as Software-as-a-Service usually have little need for licensing or added protections. But stable Internet connections are not a given, even in today’s hyperconnected world. The recent 7-hour outage of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram showed the world how fragile the digital infrastructure can be. Clients and users need an option to run mission-critical applications in private clouds, on edge devices, or even completely on-premises. JavaScript can accommodate all these scenarios without the applications needing any rewrite. However, new software protection and licensing concerns need to be addressed if this route is taken: While server applications were safe and sound in their maker’s own data center, where one only had to keep track of the number of registered users, now applications are let out “into the wild”, and JavaScript’s very nature makes it easy for skilled attackers to remove or get around license checks. Unless you add AxProtector JavaScript.
Most server or desktop applications worth to be protected are based on Node.js, which is the standard use case AxProtector JavaScript was designed for. Like its siblings AxProtector Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, .NET, Java, and Python, AxProtector JavaScript is made to operate “in the wild” and to guarantee top protection by encrypting the executable code and optionally integrating license checks right in the application itself. The protected code is only ever decrypted when it is actively being used; code not needed at any given point remains encrypted and cannot be extracted from the host computer’s memory.
You can even encrypt separate parts of your code with individual licenses and cryptographic keys for a more granular and modular protection of your software. With modular encryption, you can deliver your applications will all features onboard, and allow your users to activate and use the features they need by buying additional licenses.
Safer to market: Licensing and e-commerce integrated
In our digital age, it is software that makes the world go round. Companies that used to sell hardware only are now letting software and firmware determine the feature sets of their products. The same is true for conventional software houses as well, where lifetime licenses are being replaced with pay-per-feature or subscription models. But this freedom of choice and added value for the user comes at a price: The IP and development efforts invested in the products. To monetize these investments, vendors need ways to market, manage, and enforce licenses, and not just for the initial purchase, but also for subsequent aftermarket feature activation or subscription renewals.
In addition to entitlement management and license enforcement, commercial concerns play a key role in these processes. The list of requirements from software and device manufacturers is long, as is the list of legal factors to be considered. This is where e-commerce providers like Cleverbridge, who specialize in these processes, come into their own. Cleverbridge’s features and capabilities leave little to be desired: their solution handles local payment methods around the world, regulatory compliance, and even automatic billing for license renewals.
Cleverbridge's e-commerce platform covers the commercial part of the requirements, while CodeMeter License Central is there for entitlement management and enforcement. Both systems integrate and work perfectly with each other out of the box to offer maximum added value for their users. And at the same time, both systems come with additional interfaces to link up with other systems, such as ERP and CRM. Everything is built to fit neatly into even very heterogeneous landscapes.
Combined and integrated, CodeMeter License Central and the Cleverbridge e-commerce platform automate two separate processes: Payment and billing on one side and entitlement and license enforcement on the other. The Cleverbridge e-commerce platform can call an external license engine for delivering entitlements, and CodeMeter License Central is ready to work as the endpoint for this call. A small piece of Software, the Cleverbridge Connector, maps the data fields between the Clverbridge e-commerce platform and CodeMeter License Central and builds a bridge between the two systems. The integrated solution supports multiple use cases, including the most common types:
- Entitlements with perpetual licenses
- Creating feature-based licenses
- Managing subscriptions
When a product is purchased or a subscription is renewed, the system checks that the license entitlement has been issued or updated accordingly. Simply put: The Cleverbridge platform takes care of communicating with customers, and CodeMeter License Central manages entitlement and license enforcement for the software.
Managing entitlements through the product lifecycle
The ability to monetize software products has become one of the factors deciding the fate and fortunes of companies, be they traditional software businesses or active players in the increasingly software-dependent industrial world. Flexible licensing can be the perfect way for them to respond to the many needs and requirements of different customer communities or local markets.
Successfully integrating a licensing model in a software product is only half the story, however, as companies also have to be able to distribute and manage these licenses (or entitlements) transparently and effectively, ideally in an as automated fashion as possible. This means that licensing is not a technical matter reserved solely for software developers, but an issue that concerns many functions and departments across the entire business.
When introducing a central entitlement management system, the challenge is to establish a clean and standard process that can accommodate all the other processes already in place, while being pliable enough to leave room for new models and innovations. The resulting system has to have the right interfaces to link up with the existing system landscape in order to meet the needs of all the many stakeholders involved in or affected by it.
There is a system designed to master this balancing act: The combined power of SAP Entitlement Management System (EMS) and CodeMeter. It is the perfect synthesis of a smart back-office solution for managing entitlements and a sophisticated technology for monitoring the entitlements on the end user’s side. 1 plus 1 equals 3 in this case, as the benefits of the combined system are far more than the sum of its parts.
Your CODESYS Applications, Protected and Licensed
In the past, the need to protect the software on industrial controllers used to come as an afterthought, but no longer: Software protection has long since become a top priority for the people in charge of keeping industrial and mechanical engineering enterprises safe and secure. And this goes beyond the critical infrastructures that regulators already had in their sights. The momentum for more security now comes from the market itself, with ever louder calls to safeguard industrial networks against attacks e.g. by complying with the international IEC 62443 standards. A look at the news shows that this is happening not a moment too soon: Cyberattacks against businesses and industrial installations are a constant threat, and the ability to protect the invaluable intellectual property invested in or handled by the software has become a game changer.
On top of pure security concerns, companies will want to control access to their systems or software e.g. for certified service technicians or as a goods means to monetize a device’s add-on features and functions. Users can purchase the licenses they need from the flexible choice of licensing models they are offered, which can include popular options like time-based (subscriptions) or usage-based (pay-per-use) licenses. They allow providers to tailor their licensing models perfectly to match the local market’s needs without having to go back to doctoring their software.
CODESYS seized upon these trends at a very early stage. The leading hardware-independent IEC 61131-3 programming system used to create controller applications under Windows is equipped with Wibu-Systems’ CodeMeter technology – the perfect toolkit for putting in place just the right protection, authentication, and licensing solutions.
Creating, delivering, and managing licenses made easy
Putting a license on a dongle and sending it to its intended user seems child’s play. But what if the license needs to be bound to a specific device to work as an offline license, or assigned to a specific user as a user-bound cloud license? How do processes have to change when licenses get updated? What happens when users lose or break their devices and the licenses stored on them? Or when users forget their login credentials? Wouldn’t it be nice to have a single system that has all these processes covered under one roof? CodeMeter License Central is the versatile license and entitlement management system you are looking for – the entire license lifecycle is covered, whether we are talking about licenses on physical dongles, files on PCs, or user accounts living in the cloud.
Just like the product items created in a typical ERP system, CodeMeter License Central works by defining Product Items that represent digital products sold or licensed either individually or as bundles. The configuration lets you choose the license form and binding type, with all the many options supported by CodeMeter at your disposal, ranging from standalone licenses, floating network licenses, named user licenses, to subscription, feature-on-demand, pay-per-use or any type of trial and demo licenses.
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About CodeMeter FSBs
The Wibu-Systems’ world also has its secrets and mysteries – like the Firm Security Box or FSB. The idea of the FSB was born alongside the very first WibuKeys back in 1989 and has stayed with us up to the newest versions of CodeMeter.
Any secure license has to be based on cryptography. The standard is for licenses to be signed with their creator’s private key, and the validity of the signature is checked on the user’s side with the fitting public key. However, if the private key ever ends up in the wrong hands, unscrupulous actors would have everything they need to create as many apparently valid licenses as they wish – the worst thinkable outcome. That is why keeping private keys safely locked away is one of the most important jobs for keeping the entire system secure.
Compared to other run-of-the-mill licensing systems, Wibu-Systems does not rely on checking the validity of the license alone. With CodeMeter – and to some extent with its predecessor WibuKey since 1989 – every license is given a secret (license) key that is tucked away and kept safe in the license itself. These keys are needed to decrypt the software. Keys are the same for the same license and different for different licenses. A perfect setup, but it requires a secure anchor to create these license keys, which should be considered just as critical as the private signature keys. On top of the licenses, the software itself could be signed to allow it to check its own authenticity, which is particularly helpful for software packages that include applications and libraries that should be able to verify each other. Again, this needs a private signature key – with all the mentioned concerns about their possible loss.
To encrypt software, the right license key for the right license is needed, which could be got by creating a fitting license already before one starts the encryption. This is a possible, but rather cumbersome approach, so a solution is needed to give software developers a secure environment in which all license keys are available or at least simulated.
And this is where the FSB comes into the picture: It houses the private signature keys and secure anchors for creating licenses and the developer’s own Wibu-Systems licenses.
Protecting Python applications the simpler way
All software ought to be protected, not just applications made with one of the usual suspects: C or Java. In recent years, Python has become an increasingly attractive choice for software developers, not least with the language’s commitment to simplicity and clarity, but also the sheer range of solid, up-to-date resources for AI or machine learning applications. The newfound popularity of the language becomes plain when one sees its ranking in the TIOBE Index, following hot on the heels of the two traditional favorites.
But simple and clear also means: an appealing target for would-be attackers. And Python does make it unnecessarily easy for them to access the code. If it is not available in plaintext form from the outset, but precompiled with Cython, skilled attackers would still have no major problems with getting back to the original code by using common hacking tools. Especially in innovation-heavy areas like AI, that code can represent a substantial intellectual and commercial asset, making it perfect prey for unscrupulous hackers.
Wibu-Systems believes that only solid encryption can truly protect sensitive code from these threats. That is why Python support has been added to the popular CodeMeter Protection Suite. The traditional approach would be to transform Python code into a native application with tools like Cython and to then protect that application with CodeMeter’s powerful encryption. But there is a second, revolutionary approach: Encrypting the Python code itself in its original form. With CodeMeter’s technology, the code is only decrypted when it is actually needed and remains encrypted at all other times, so that it could not simply be extracted from working memory. CodeMeter can also encrypt different parts of the code with separate licenses or cryptographic keys to allow smart modular protections for the finished application.
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