Run program only from USB / copy protection

[ratty]

I'm gonna bump this with a new idea for small-scale distribution of software. What if the software was told to only run on a device with a specific serial number. Essentially, hard-coding the MMF application not to run if it's not running from the specific serial number of a usb thumb drive. Not the volume serial, which is changed on format, but the chip-level drive serial.

Any reason this wouldn't work should it be a viable method for someone? Obviously, it wouldn't be viable on a large scale since your have to make a billion versions of your app with the various serials hard coded in.

[bradley]

Hi,
Im not sure if this would help but years ago I used a program to compile my html files into and exe which would then extract the whole lot to a temporary file and when the user was finished it would delete the temporary files. I think it will also compile .bat files so you may be in luck, just call your program from a bat file compiled with html2exe.
Hope it works for you.
With kind regards,
Bradley

[drdodle]

Hi Ratty,

I see you have a lot of good ideas and both nexcopy and kakasoft has been up. Another company who delivers USB copy protection solutions are Link Data Security, on their page they tell a little about what they do, this might inspire you for your own software:

I took the liberty to see what I could piece together:

1. Make a CD-Rom partition on your USB, this makes it impossible for normal users to delete content. (only read media)
2. Encrypted data which only runs though your program/view etc.
3. Program/view should only run once it has verified your USB, serial number, chip number, any kind of unique feature.

Some of these unique features might be easy to copy onto a new USB, but it's better than nothing and if you need high-end protection then don't make it your self, there will be way to much you will have to take into account. But as this is your plan, I guess? Try check out these two tutorials on copy protection:
All About Copy Protection: linkdata.com/theory.htm
Data Protection in a Nutshell: linkdata.com/theory2.htm