Apps activation Serial Number

[awa786]

Hi all,
I have make an demo version application in Access 2007 and i want to make serial numbers combination of text and numbers for its activation while customer wants to purchase that application, is there any way to generate random unique numbers that not easily understandable/hack by someone.
combination like this,

AAA1B-3T4-75H90-1


Please let me know if some body know about this .

Regards,

 

[gemma-the-husky]

the problem is that, it is hard to keep this number secret. And even if you do keep it secret, how do you stop the software just being installed on a different machine.

One way is to get some secret info from the target machine (such as a serial number of some sort), and encrypt this. A similar and probably better idea is to use the secret to construct a MD5 hash. (a one-way function).

Now when the system starts, you can read the secret info, generate the MD5 hash, and see if it is the same as the hash you have already accepted as valid. If not, the app is not genuine and needs to shut down.

MD5's are one way. You cannot get back to the MD5 source from the MD5 result.

I have posted some stuff along these lines in the code samples. David Crake also posted some ideas.

 

[awa786]

I prevent the software just being installed on a different machine by using motherboard hard disk serial number.when I make a distribution of DB, i store that values in DB and with a startup form on opening DB will ensure that installation is on approved machine or not by matching that serial numbers . if not then application will exit and flag will be turn false and next time application not able to open until flag changes to True.

I am listening about MD5 hash structure first time please give me some links to make the MD5 hash. or any sample code if available.
thanks and regards.

 

[HiTechCoach]

Here are a few things that may help:

Encryption (Click Here)

This is an example in 2000 format that shows several example of encryption. The code used in the modules was written by Dermot Balson.

ActiveLock (Click Here)

ActiveLock is a free ActiveX control created to help you to add registration features, protect your programs from piracy and sell your programs online! ActiveLock is powerful, flexible and 100% roy ...