METHODS FOR PREVENTING SOFTWARE PIRACY
First Claim
1. A method for preventing unauthorized installation of application software comprising(a) distributing application software with a user-readable permanent password, a user-readable disposable password, and a hidden password, wherein said hidden password can be read by a software setup program;
- (b) causing said software setup program to run on a target installation computing machine and to query a user for said permanent password and said disposable password;
(c) causing said software setup program to contact a designated remote server and transmit (1) said permanent password, (2) said disposable password, (3) said hidden password, and (4) a serial number associated with said target installation computing machine;
(d) causing software on said designated remote server to compare said permanent password, said disposable password, and said hidden password against stored records of legitimately distributed software, and only if all three passwords match against said stored records, causing said designated remote server to store said serial number in said stored records, to replace said disposable password in said stored records with a second disposable password and to return to said software setup program (1) a complex password and (2) said second disposable password; and
(e) causing said software setup program to display said second disposable password to said user, to attempt to use said complex password to enable said software setup program to proceed with the installation of said application software on said target installation computing machine, to abort if said complex password cannot successfully enable installation, and to delete said complex password.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for preventing unauthorized installation of application software is disclosed wherein application software is distributed with a user-readable permanent password, one or more user-readable one-time disposable password, and a hidden password (hidden from users but accessible by the setup program). When the setup program is run, the user must enter the permanent password and disposable password(s). The setup program sends these passwords and the target computer serial number to a remote server which verifies their validity, stores the serial number, and returns a complex password and a new disposable password from a remote passwords folder stored on the remote server. The setup program displays the new disposable password to the user who records it for use in future installations. The complex password is used to enable installation of the software, and it is deleted after installation is complete. Subsequent installation or re-installations, if authorized by the terms of the software license agreement, are performed using the same procedure, except that for each such installation, a new disposable password must be used.
-
Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method for preventing unauthorized installation of application software comprising
(a) distributing application software with a user-readable permanent password, a user-readable disposable password, and a hidden password, wherein said hidden password can be read by a software setup program; -
(b) causing said software setup program to run on a target installation computing machine and to query a user for said permanent password and said disposable password; (c) causing said software setup program to contact a designated remote server and transmit (1) said permanent password, (2) said disposable password, (3) said hidden password, and (4) a serial number associated with said target installation computing machine; (d) causing software on said designated remote server to compare said permanent password, said disposable password, and said hidden password against stored records of legitimately distributed software, and only if all three passwords match against said stored records, causing said designated remote server to store said serial number in said stored records, to replace said disposable password in said stored records with a second disposable password and to return to said software setup program (1) a complex password and (2) said second disposable password; and (e) causing said software setup program to display said second disposable password to said user, to attempt to use said complex password to enable said software setup program to proceed with the installation of said application software on said target installation computing machine, to abort if said complex password cannot successfully enable installation, and to delete said complex password. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A method for preventing unauthorized installation of application software comprising
(a) distributing application software with a user-readable permanent password, two user-readable disposable passwords, and a hidden password, wherein said hidden password can be read by a software setup program; -
(b) causing said software setup program to run on a target installation computing machine and to query a user for said permanent password and said two disposable passwords; (c) causing said software setup program to contact a designated remote server and transmit (1) said permanent password, (2) said two disposable passwords, (3) said hidden password, and (4) a serial number associated with said target installation computing machine; (d) causing software on said designated remote server to compare said permanent password, said two disposable passwords, and said hidden password against stored records of legitimately distributed software, and only if all four passwords match against said stored records, causing said designated remote server to store said serial number in said stored records, to mark the stored copies of said two disposable passwords in said stored records as “
user,” and
to return to said software setup program (1) a complex password and (2) a third disposable password; and(e) causing said software setup program to display said third disposable password to said user, to attempt to use said complex password to enable said software setup program to proceed with the installation of said application software on said target installation computing machine, to abort if said complex password cannot successfully enable installation, and to delete said complex password. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. A method for preventing unauthorized installation of application software comprising
(a) distributing application software with a user-readable permanent password, two user-readable disposable passwords, and a hidden password, wherein said hidden password can be read by a software setup program; -
(b) causing said software setup program to run on a target installation computing machine and to query a user for said permanent password and said two disposable passwords; (c) causing said software setup program to contact a designated remote server and transmit (1) said permanent password, (2) said two disposable passwords, (3) said hidden password, and (4) a serial number associated with said target installation computing machine; (d) causing software on said designated remote server to compare said permanent password, said two disposable passwords, and said hidden password against stored records of legitimately distributed software, and only if all four passwords match against said stored records, causing said designated remote server to store said serial number in said stored records, to mark the stored copies of said two disposable passwords in said stored records as “
used,” and
to return to said software setup program (1) a complex password and (2) a third disposable password;(e) causing said software setup program to display said third disposable password to said user, to attempt to use said complex password to enable said software setup program to proceed with the installation of said application software on said target installation computing machine, to store said serial number in a hidden location, to abort if said complex password cannot successfully enable installation, and to delete said complex password; and wherein said application software cannot be run if said serial number does not match the serial number of the machine on which a user attempts to run said application software.
-
Specification