[Release] Basic serial key "protection"

[Skull]

Well, I was looking around the net and found some code about generating
hashes and Decide to make it into a serial validation thing.

What
The program asks for a name and a serial key. If the serial key is correct it
displays a message box saying "Validation successful!".

How
It gets the input for the name and generates the hash for it (MD5,SHA1). If
the Name and the hash matches it succeeds.

Download (Source)
RapidShare: Easy Filehosting

Feedback is welcome

[Jens]

good job, although a simple SHA1 or MD5 is easily tricked if its supposed to protect something, the best thing you can do to protect something is just to figure out a smart algorithm, yet somewhat complex, something along making a md5 of the string, making a sha1, get first 16 numbers of each, reverse something etc etc

[suicidity]

This is the most simple algorithm that I use for generating Serials for any of my programs. (NOTE: This is just a write up for idea)

In my serials I use #s 0-9 and usually about 6 letters (A,U,E,G,P,Q; They are easily distinguishable).

Numbers reserve their value (1 = 1, 2 = 2, 3 = 3, etc.) and letters are assigned values (A = 1, U = 2, etc.). Then I will randomly generate a string that equals a set of definitive numbers; eg. Any string that equals a multiple of 4. -> Usually I make a simple program that generates a string, and checks it's value against definitive values and then it will store it to a database / server.

Now a sample string would look like..

12AU-3G87-PQ4A-8E3U
which would equal..
1+2+1+2 - 3+4+8+7 - 5+6+4+1 - 8+3+3+2 (NOTE: The letters above and their order.)

Add all the values up and check against it being a multiple of 4 which, 60 (The sum) IS a multiple of 4; Therefore it is valid.

The downfall to this method is to be secure, you would have to check against a third parties database (Yours). You do NOT want your algorithm in your program or a database of keys (of course) in your program. That is the easiest way to have a program cracked. Also, some are insecure with programs having to connect to the internet for authorization.

The other downfall is that your program can be cracked if ever opened up, just by a couple byte patch which would always validate your program. This though is the worst case scenario for any program.

I'll post the source to my key generator and structure to a simple SQL and Non-SQL database.


-suicidity

[suicidity]

This is a simple dirty version of my key generator that was just as a test, It is in PHP but it is the same exact concept as a VB generator..

http://www.mmowned.com/forums/php/17...ml#post1112356