Re: Software protection tools for Mac osx?
Re: Software protection tools for Mac osx?
- Subject: Re: Software protection tools for Mac osx?
- From: Luke Bellandi <email@hidden>
- Date: Fri, 5 May 2006 15:12:52 -0700
On May 5, 2006, at 2:44 PM, Stéphane Sudre wrote:
On vendredi, mai 5, 2006, at 06:18 PM, Luke Bellandi wrote:
Hi Flippo,
You can add an Installer Plugin to require the user to enter a
valid serial number/license code before performing the Install.
Apple's Final Cut Studio software does this and won't install onto
the user's computer without a valid serial number.
Take a look at the /System/Library/Frameworks/
InstallerPlugins.framework headers for documentation on writing
such a plugin and integrating it into your installer. We're happy
to answer specific questions on those API's on this list as well.
You mean that if I copy the package or metapackage of FCP on my
disk, then remove the plugin and the potential script, I can't
install it with a serial number? Or if I use Pacifist, it's not
possible? Or if I install it remotely with ARD?
The first sentence in your email doesn't make sense. I think what you
meant to say was "You mean that if I copy the package or metapackage
of FCP onto my disk, then remove the plugin and potential script, I
*can* install it *without* a serial number" The answer to that
question is yes, you can.
However, the Serial Number plugin is not meant to serve as the
gatekeeper to these binaries. An application has to be its own
gatekeeper. An Installer plugin is an appropriate _place_ to ask the
user for a serial number, but it is unable to _protect_ those package
bits, as you've pointed out with the examples of hacking the package,
or using Pacifist.
I mean, come on, if the application wasn't the gatekeeper, the fact
that the install checks can be worked around is irrelevant. In that
case, a user could install the app onto a machine with a valid serial
number, and then just copy and distribute the installed app illegally
if that app didn't perform any checks on a dropped serial number.
In Final Cut Studio Pro's case, it drops a key in /Library/Application
Support/ with the serial number. Apps then check for that key when
launched.
I thought the recommendation was:
- you can do the serialization in an Installer Plug-in or a helper
tool launch by a script
but:
you shall not rely on this only.
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