Software publisher or distributor configurable software security mechanism
First Claim
1. A method of protecting against unauthorized use of a software product, comprising the steps of:
- a software publisher or distributor, using a software wrapping tool, adding Protector code to the software product and selecting from among a plurality of protection options whereby selection is made from among varying machine-determinable conditions under which the Protector code allows the software product to be used, the Protector code including code for implementing a plurality of predefined protection options;
recording protection options selections of the software publisher or distributor and attaching a resulting record to the software product in a tamper-resistant way;
distributing the software product with the Protector code added; and
when an attempt to access the software product is made, the Protector code reading recorded selections of the software publisher or distributor and executing code corresponding to selected protection options, if any.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention, generally speaking, provides a software protection mechanism that may be conveniently configured by a software publisher and applied to a software product. Various predefined software protection measures are presented to the software publisher, who selects which protection measures, if any, the software publisher wishes to apply to a software product. The software publisher may select all of the software protection measures, none of the software protection measures, or any logically consistent combination thereof. An option is also provided for the software publisher to provide code implementing a custom software protection mechanism. The software publisher'"'"'s selections are saved in a license file that is attached to the software product. A Protector Module is also attached to the software product. The Protector Module includes code for each predefined software protection option. When an attempt is made to run the software product, the Protector Module reads the license file and executes code for each software protection option that has been selected. If the software-publisher-defined option is selected, the Protector Module causes publisher-provided software protection code to be executed. The publisher-provided code may be added as part of the license file, for example, or as a separate dynamically loadable code module. The resulting software protection mechanism provides the software publisher complete control over the trade-off between security and user convenience.
272 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of protecting against unauthorized use of a software product, comprising the steps of:
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a software publisher or distributor, using a software wrapping tool, adding Protector code to the software product and selecting from among a plurality of protection options whereby selection is made from among varying machine-determinable conditions under which the Protector code allows the software product to be used, the Protector code including code for implementing a plurality of predefined protection options; recording protection options selections of the software publisher or distributor and attaching a resulting record to the software product in a tamper-resistant way; distributing the software product with the Protector code added; and when an attempt to access the software product is made, the Protector code reading recorded selections of the software publisher or distributor and executing code corresponding to selected protection options, if any. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification