Method and system for limiting software updates

• US 20050246537A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Gunyakti, Caglar, Hatlelid, Kristjan Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,331,063 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/176
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/12 Protecting executable software

Abstract

A method of detecting pirated software includes receiving a request for a software update by a client computer and providing to the client computer a test to be performed. The test is performed on the client computer against the client software application. The client computer may be denied a software update as a result of the test finding an illegitimate copy of the client software. The invention may be practiced in a network environment where a server transfers a test program for a client to execute upon request of a software update. The test performs an integrity check and denies the request for a software update if the client software is found to be illegitimate.

Claims

1. A method of detecting pirated software at a server, the method comprising:

receiving a request for a software update by a client computer;

determining a test to be performed against software in the client computer;

performing the test; and

denying the client computer the software update if the client computer fails the test, wherein the test detects pirated software.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request for a software update comprises the server receiving the software update request over a network wherein the server hosts piracy detection software.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing the test comprises performing the test on one or more of the client computer and the server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing the test comprises downloading a test from the server into the client computer, the test designed to perform a runtime integrity check of a client software program.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the runtime integrity test comprise one or more of running an executable present in client software, performing a cyclical redundancy code test, performing a hash value test and verifying a digital signature.

6. A computer server, the server comprising:

a processor having access to memory;

a software component, the component having instructions which perform a method of detecting altered client software, the method comprising;

receiving a request, from a client computer, for a client software update;

determining a test to be performed against software in the client computer;

performing the test; and

determining whether the client computer software has been altered;

wherein the processor performs the method by executing the instructions of the software component.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the software component further comprises the method step of denying the client computer the client software update if the client computer fails the test.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a network interface for receiving a request from the client computer for a software update.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the step of performing the test comprises performing the test on one or more of the client computer and the server.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the step of performing the test comprises downloading a test from the server into the client computer, the test designed to perform a runtime integrity check of a client software program.

11. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing a method, the method comprising:

receiving a request from a client computer for a software update;

determining a test to be performed against software in the client computer;

performing the test; and

determining whether the client computer software has been altered;

determining whether to permit the software update dependent on the results of the client computer test.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11, the method further comprising denying the software update if the results of the test indicate that the software has been altered.

13. A system for detecting pirated software, the system comprising:

a network for transmitting messages between a server and a client;

a server computer having software updates for client computers, wherein the server resides on the network;

a client computer residing on the network, wherein the client computer requests an update of client software update from the server; and

wherein a test is performed against the client software, wherein test results determine whether the client software is pirated.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the test is performed one or more of the client computer and the server.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the test is downloaded from the server into the client computer, the test designed to perform a runtime integrity check of a client software program.