Simple copy protection done right :)

d.healey

No and there never will be. As soon as you use a publicly available "formula" to create these serials, your entire copy protection scheme is pointless

I came up with such a scheme for Kontakt. The formula can be made public as it relies on each instrument containing a unique number in its script that is used to encode/decode the serials. I'll post the script when I'm at my computer.

orange

@Christoph-Hart Yes of course the formula shouldn't be shared. And I think without formula method is useful too.

resonant

@Christoph-Hart I mean how can we approach this encoding and decoding process..etc. I've found this could it be useful? : https://gist.github.com/ubergesundheit/5626679

Christoph Hart

Yeah, good luck pasting throw new RuntimeException("VIN number must be 17 characters"); into HISE :)

resonant

@Christoph-Hart ok, we can't use that :)

d.healey

@orange said in Simple copy protection done right :):

@Christoph-Hart Yes of course the formula shouldn't be shared. And I think without formula method is useful too.

If the only way your lock is secure is to not tell people how the lock works then your lock is not secure.

The code I'm posting here is in KSP. I'll leave it to someone who wants to use it to convert it to HISEScript and integrate it with Christoph's system.

This function generates a serial number based on values in the %app_number array. The app number an 8 element array. Each plugin should have a unique app number. You can think of the app_number like a password, if you know the app number then you can encode/decode a valid serial number.

function sl.generate_serial(serial)
{Generate a random serial number, use %app_number array to perform calculations}

    declare $i
    declare $random_value

    for $i := 0 to (num_elements(serial))-1 {serial is 8 digits, we create 2 at a time so only need to loop 4 times}

        $random_value := random(0,999) {Generate a Random Number between 0 and 999}

        if ($random_value > %app_number[$i]) {If the random number is greater than the %app_number number}
            serial[$i] := (($random_value - %app_number[$i])*2) mod 1000 {The serial[$i] is the Random Value - the %app_number Number}
        else
            serial[$i] := ((%app_number[$i] - $random_value)*2) mod 1000
        end if

        serial[$i+1] := $random_value {Store the random value in the second half of the serial}
        inc($i)

    end for

end function

I made a windows exe (written in C#) that generates thousands of serials based on your app number and it uses the above formula. If anyone finds this code useful then I can share the exe too.

This function validates a serial provided by the user against the app_number

{/**
* This is the reverse of the serial key generating function.
*/}
function sl.validate_serial(serial, app_number) -> return

    declare $i
    declare $n
    declare %new_serial[8] {Same size as serial[], we store the values we get as we rebuild the serial for comparison}
    
    for $i := 0 to num_elements(serial)-1

        if (serial[$i+1] > app_number[$i])
            new_serial[$i] := ((serial[$i+1] - app_number[$i]) * 2) mod 1000
        else
            new_serial[$i] := ((app_number[$i] - serial[$i+1]) * 2) mod 1000
        end if

        new_serial[$i+1] := serial[$i+1]
        inc($i) {We want to skip in 2's}

    end for

    {Check if the serial matches the New Serial}
    if array_equal(serial, new_serial)
        return := 1
    else
        return := 0
    end if

end function

I made a function to fill the app_number array and display it. This was just to save me doing it manually but you can do it manually if you prefer

{/**
* Randomly generates an app number and stores it in the app_number array. The app number is then displayed in the message bar.
* This function should not be left in the script. It should be called once, the app number should be noted and the instrument saved to preserve the app number
* The function call should then be removed or commented out before recompiling the script. The app number can be replaced by recalling the function and saving.
*/}
function sl.generate_app_number()
    
    declare $i

    for $i := 0 to 7
        %app_number[$i] := random(1, 999)
    end for

    message(%app_number[0] & ' - ' & %app_number[1] & ' - ' & %app_number[2] & ' - ' & %app_number[3] & ' - ' & %app_number[4] & ' - ' & %app_number[5]...
     & ' - ' & %app_number[6] & ' - ' & %app_number[7])    

end function

resonant

@d-healey Outstanding! Thank you!

orange

@Christoph-Hart I am trying to check the serial input on 2 different serial lists. There are two serial lists;

Bundle serials (stores and checks the file in "../Individual_RegistrationInfo.js" )
Individual serials (stores and checks the file in "../Bundle_RegistrationInfo.js" )

It works on bundle serial list checking but not works on Individual serial list :( What is the thing that I missed?

namespace Authorisation
{
    const var SerialInput = Content.getComponent("SerialInput");
    const var Description = Content.getComponent("Description");
    const var SerialStateLabel = Content.getComponent("SerialStateLabel");
    const var AuthorisationDialogue = Content.getComponent("AuthorisationDialogue");

    
    
    inline function onSubmitButtonControl(component, value)
    {
      if(!value) 
            return;
    
        local v = SerialInput.getValue();
        Console.print(v);
	
// Checks if it's in the Individual Serial sList
        if(Individual_serials.Data.contains(v))
        {
            Console.print("Serial number found");
        
            local data = 
            {
                "Serial": v
            };
        
// Saves as Individual_RegistrationInfo.js 
            Engine.dumpAsJSON(data, "../Individual_RegistrationInfo.js");
            
            setValidLicense(true);
        }
        
  
 // Checks if it's in the Bundle Serial sList
    if(Bundle_serials.Data.contains(v))
        {
            Console.print("Serial number found");
        
            local data = 
            {
                "Serial": v
            };

 // Saves as Bundle_RegistrationInfo.js 
            Engine.dumpAsJSON(data, "../Bundle_RegistrationInfo.js");
            
            setValidLicense(true);
        }      

        
        else
        {
            Console.print("Invalid serial number");
            Description.set("text", "INVALID KEY THAT DOES NOT MATCH WITH YOUR LICENSE");
            
            setValidLicense(false);
        }
    };

    Content.getComponent("SubmitButton").setControlCallback(onSubmitButtonControl);



    inline function setValidLicense(isValid)
    {
            
        if(isValid)
        {
            // My action
        }
        else
        {
            // My action
        }
    }

    inline function checkOnLoad()
    {
        SerialInput.set("text", "");
        
// Load the serial from the stored files

        local pData_Individual = Engine.loadFromJSON("../Individual_RegistrationInfo.js");
        local pData_Bundle = Engine.loadFromJSON("../Bundle_RegistrationInfo.js");
        
        Console.print("Checking serial");
    
// Individual serials
        if(pData_Individual)    
        {
            local v = pData_Individual.Serial;
            Console.print("Restored serial: " + v);
        
           if(Individual_serials.Data.contains(v))
            {
                setValidLicense(true);
                return;
            }
    }

// Bundle serials    
      if(pData_Bundle)    
        {
            local v = pData_Bundle.Serial;
            Console.print("Restored serial: " + v);
        
           if(Bundle_serials.Data.contains(v))
            {
                setValidLicense(true);
                return;
            }      
    }

      setValidLicense(false);
  }    
    
// Call this on startup
    checkOnLoad();

}

Christoph Hart

Basics:

if(x)
{
    // Will be executed if x is true
}
if(y)
{
   // will be executed if y is true
}
else
{
   // will be executed if y is false 
   // no matter what x is
}

Solution:

else if(y)

Protipp: y is Bundle_serials.Data.contains(v) :)

Jay

@staiff I already did it

Dan Korneff

This post is deleted!

Dan Korneff

Have you guys seen https://soraco.co/ ? It appears to be $900 (one time fee) for 1 cross platform license server. Have you guys seen anything more cost effective?
@Christoph-Hart Could this be implemented with a HISE product?

d.healey

@dustbro said in Simple copy protection done right :):

Have you guys seen https://soraco.co/ ? It appears to be $900 (one time fee) for 1 cross platform license server. Have you guys seen anything more cost effective?
@Christoph-Hart Could this be implemented with a HISE product?

Only works with Windows by the looks of it and not compatible with the GNU GPL.

Edit: oh actually is says Mac and Android too, but at the bottom of the page it only has Windows compatibility labels... no GNU/Linux support either. Also, how would this be any better than the server/client license (not the simple copy protection discussed in this thread) Christoph already provides?

Dan Korneff

@d-healey This would be for closed source projects.

@d-healey said in Simple copy protection done right :):

how would this be any better than the server/client license Christoph already provides?

This would give you the ability to offer Trial licenses, as well as subscriptions.

d.healey

@dustbro said in Simple copy protection done right :):

@d-healey This would be for closed source projects.

Oh definitely, but HISE is licensed under the GNU GPL, so Christoph would have to either provide two binaries and sets of source code, one with the proprietary code and one without, or offer a way for individual developers to link HISE to Soraco themselves - assuming Soraco allows you to connect to their system in a way that is GNU GPL compatible.

Christoph Hart

To be honest I have no interest embedding other copy protection services. There is the GPL way, the simple solution sketched up here and an inhouse solution for more advanced copy protection so there are plenty of options available.

I embedded TurboActivate in a product a few years ago and it was absolute nightmare so I vowed to myself to never do this again ;)

Dan Korneff

@d-healey said in Simple copy protection done right :):

but HISE is licensed under the GNU GPL

Honestly, I don't know the intricacies of the licenses. :) I just assumed that you pay a fee for a commercial version of HISE, and you do what you want with it.

@Christoph-Hart said in Simple copy protection done right :):

I have no interest embedding other copy protection services

Fair enough! It looks like I'll be investigating your inhouse solution shortly.

d.healey

@dustbro said in Simple copy protection done right :):

Honestly, I don't know the intricacies of the licenses. :) I just assumed that you pay a fee for a commercial version of HISE, and you do what you want with it.

You can't mix proprietary software with any software licensed under the GNU GPL, it has to be 100% free. But you can link to proprietary software as long as it's independent.

The HISE commercial license doesn't mean you are suddenly able to release commercial plugins - you already have that freedom with the GNU GPL - it's called a commercial license because you have to pay for it. And what it grants you is the freedom to restrict your users (isn't that nice :p )

LeeC

Hey @orange,

Just trying to compile this 'Simple Copy Protection' code using Hise 2.1.0

When I click 'compile' the console returns the following:

Component with name SerialInput wasn't found
Component with name Description wasn't found
Component with name SerialStateLabel wasn't found
Component with name AuthorisationDialogue wasn't found
Component with name GlobalMute wasn't found

Do I need to create these components or are they inbuilt somehow?

I've place Serial.js in the 'Script' folder as instructed.

Any help, examples or code snippets from anyone would be golden.

Thanks

Dan Korneff

@LeeC said in Simple copy protection done right :):

Do I need to create these components

Yeah, you gotta make these items.
There is a demo project available to use as reference.

GitHub - christophhart/hise_tutorial: The Tutorial project for HISE

The Tutorial project for HISE. Contribute to christophhart/hise_tutorial development by creating an account on GitHub.

GitHub (github.com)

Simple copy protection done right :)

GitHub - christophhart/hise_tutorial: The Tutorial project for HISE

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