License key generator

[maheswaran]

Hi all,

I want to idea/code for license key generation.

In detail, I give a product to client, while installation it will generate one key and asked unlock for that key. Client mail to this key to me and asked unlock key. After got unlock key from me, client enter to application and continue installation (after checking correct unlock key inbuilt function).

How i can generate key using md5/hash or some thing....

In my application should generate the key and unlock with my keyword....

like md5 generate key with my word "MyWorld" - md5(MyWorld)...

Pls help

[TheServant]

Well, you want something a little better than md5(the word), because that will be an easy guess for anyone using the software.

Can you have an online database and each copy you make you have a unique id number? That way, it can only be activated once. You could then have a fance encryption for the id number and check that with the one stored in the database.

What I mean by fancy is:
md5(md5(md5($id_number * 0.2546 )))

Or something a little more elaborate.

[Markus]

Well, you want something a little better than md5(the word), because that will be an easy guess for anyone using the software.

Can you have an online database and each copy you make you have a unique id number? That way, it can only be activated once. You could then have a fance encryption for the id number and check that with the one stored in the database.

What I mean by fancy is:
md5(md5(md5($id_number * 0.2546 )))

Or something a little more elaborate.

Yeh, you're going to have to use a database to keep track of the keys.

TheServants ideology seems pretty water tight!

Regards,

[maheswaran]

Hi,

Is that need to maintain a database for it's?. My Idea is My application generate the some set of codes (for example 12,23,45,6) only and using this codes i generate the license key.So client send this to me i again re-generate unlock key....

If am confuse please suggest one good way...?

[TheServant]

I don't understand how you plan on identifying users? So there will only be one copy of this program? If your program generates random codes everytime then what is the point of having a security system?

Again, I think you need to have one number per product. If you make 10 copies, you should have 10 different keys. The only random numbers that should occur is when you make the CD, not when you install or run or what ever.

The user can click Activate or Register or what ever and then that can mail you (or what ever) so you (or the server) can return a confirmation that that specific CD is: a) Unregistered/Unactivated and b) Using a valid CD key.

If you have random CD keys occuring all the time, then there is no stopping people making 100 copies and then saying to you they installed it 100 times. I hope you understand.

[maheswaran]

HI,

from that point i got confused.....

Could give a suggestion for clear idea...

That's how can i proceed..

[maheswaran]

I want to this below flow

1) User buy my product.

2) Run Installation kid

3) Application give/generate one key and asked unlock key for this

4) User mail this key

5) I send a unlock key for that generated key

*** In this case there is no contact between my application and user application ****
Just have same set in both side...

Is this not secure way.... pls suggest some other secure way....