Key Authentication |
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Key Authentication is possibly the most prolific form of software protection before that of Software Activation. Rather inconveniently Key Authentication requires the user to enter an Authentication Key of typically 25 alphanumeric characters. The Authentication Key has to be this long as it must not only be unique, but also has to contain a significant verification portion to make it harder for a hacker to continuously guess keys until they stumble across one that is correctly verified.
In practice of course this method is not only user unfriendly but extremely vulnerable to abuse. It is very common for authentication keys to be carelessly or deliberately disclosed by an existing user, to be stolen from their PC, or correctly guessed by a hacker. So common in fact that there are many 'key generator' hacker tools used to create new Authentication Keys for numerous software titles after enough keys have been gathered to break the verification process, even though it only requires one for an unlimited number of people to use your software.
With Key Authentication there is clearly nothing to prevent a compromised Authentication Key from being published on the internet and entered by an unlimited number of people to use your software. It was clear that another form of software protection was required that used a central server so an individual License Key compromised in this way could be locked out.
This new form of software protection has arrived, and is not only more user friendly, but far easier to manage and it also offers an exciting new way to market your software for free... Software Activation
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