Password Protection: Overview

What is Password Protection?

Password protection allows you to lock your application until it is unlocked by a password.

The most important feature of the ProtectKit3.5's password protection is that the protection is unique to the PC where the application runs. By using a combination of a secret lockword that you determine and a unique hardware signature retrieved from the PC where the application is running, the ProtectKit3.5 generates a password that will unlock the application on that PC and only that PC. If a protected application is copied to another PC, even if that application has already been unlocked, it will not work until the application is unlocked on the new PC.

How do I set password protection?

You set password protection using the "Set Password Protection" tool. There are two different "Set Password Protection" tools, one for .NET applications and another for Win32(64) applications.

For information about setting protection in .NET applications see ProtectKit.NET Set Password Protection tool.

For information about setting protection in Win32(64) applications see ProtectKit3 Set Password Protection tool.

What types of passwords are available and what do they do?

There are 5 types of passwords that you can choose from:

1. Standard protection: This type of protection locks the application until it it unlocked with a password. After it has been unlocked, the application will run on that PC indefinitely. If the protected application is copied to another PC, it will not work until unlocked on the new PC. There is no "renewal password" option with this type of protection.

2. Number of uses protection: This protection sets the number of times an application can be used. The application can be used for the specified number of uses. Each time the application starts up, that is counted as one use. After the number of allowable uses has been exceeded, the application is locked and will remain locked until it is unlocked with a password. After being unlocked, the application will run indefinitely. At any time, if the protected application is copied to another PC, it will not work until unlocked on the new PC.

There is a "renewable" password option with this type of protection. This option allows the protected application to run for the specified number of uses. After the number of allowable uses has been exceeded, the application is locked and will remain locked until it is unlocked with a password. After being unlocked with a new password, the application will not run indefinitely but will only run again for the number of allowable uses. At any time, if the protected application is copied to another PC, it will not work until unlocked on the new PC.

3. Number of days protection: This protection sets the number of days an application can be used. The application can be used for the specified number of days. After the number of allowable days has been exceeded, the application is locked and will remain locked until it is unlocked with a password. After being unlocked, the application will run indefinitely. At any time, if the protected application is copied to another PC, it will not work until unlocked on the new PC.

There is a "renewable" password option with this type of protection. This option allows the protected application to run for the specified number of days. After the number of allowable days has been exceeded, the application is locked and will remain locked until it is unlocked with a password. After being unlocked with a password, the application will not run indefinitely but will only run again for the number of allowable days. At any time, if the protected application is copied to another PC, it will not work until unlocked on the new PC.

4. Number of months protection: This protection sets the number of months an application can be used. The application can be used for the specified number of months. After the number of allowable months has been exceeded, the application is locked and will remain locked until it is unlocked with a password. After being unlocked, the application will run indefinitely. At any time, if the protected application is copied to another PC, it will not work until unlocked on the new PC.

There is a "renewable" password option with this type of protection. This option allows the protected application to run for the specified number of months. After the number of allowable months has been exceeded, the application is locked and will remain locked until it is unlocked with a password. After being unlocked with a password, the application will not run indefinitely but will only run again for the number of allowable months. At any time, if the protected application is copied to another PC, it will not work until unlocked on the new PC.

5. Expiration date protection: This protection sets the date after which an application will be locked. The application will run until the specifed date is exceeded. After the specified date, the application is locked and will remail locked until unlocked with a password. After being unlocked, the application will run indefinitely. There is no "renewal password" option with this type of protection.

For details about setting password protection, please refer to "Set Password Protection Tool" in this help file.

What steps are needed to add password protection to my applications?

Adding password protection to your application is very easy:

     1. Set ProtectKit code in your application.
     2. Set protection information using the "Set Password Protection Tool".
     3. Deploy Application.
     4. Generate a password and send it to the user.

Click here for an overview of adding password protection to a .NET application or to a Win32(64) application.