protection using PC id

[bimbim]

Hi everybody,

I'm looking for the best way using LabVIEW to get the PC informations (drives sn, processor id, etc) so that my application is only runnable on a machine (which info is in the LabVIEW source). If possible, to have an application that only runs on a unique cd-rom for example

I've already found code that calls vbs script or execute ipconfig command to get computer info, but these solutions don't seem safe enought.

Can anyone tell me which solution is the best to use or in which way I have to go?

Thank you in advance.

Bim

[m3nth]

You'll have to determine for yourself what's best for you, but I use the attached VI to get the hard drive serial number. It's not set in stone of course, but it is a unique identifier for a computer (so long as the harddrive doesn't change) and it isn't as easy to change as some other things.

Edited to say: Well... I have been having problems with getting the attachment to work. I'm not sure if it's the forum or firefox or both. I went back to 1.0.7 after having RC1 but it still doesn't want to attach things. I'll post it if I can get it to work.

[bimbim]

You'll have to determine for yourself what's best for you, but I use the attached VI to get the hard drive serial number. It's not set in stone of course, but it is a unique identifier for a computer (so long as the harddrive doesn't change) and it isn't as easy to change as some other things.

Edited to say: Well... I have been having problems with getting the attachment to work. I'm not sure if it's the forum or firefox or both. I went back to 1.0.7 after having RC1 but it still doesn't want to attach things. I'll post it if I can get it to work.

Thank you for your solution,

In fact, the document isn't attached so I'll wait that you post it...

If you can, mail it to me directly ( bimbimbimbim@caramail.com )

Thanks!

[airak]

Can anyone of u send me the VI to my personnel mail ID: amitkaria2k@hotmail.com

Thanks in advance...

[Mike Ashe]

I'm not going to do the homework for you, but if you Google on: "Get BIOS Serial Number" and do a little research you can figure out a way to use the BIOS serial number on the unique machine. This is much less likely to be changed than a hard drive and is also more secure. I have seen cracking toolkits that explicitly give tools that get around hard drive security number methods.

Good luck.

[LAVA 1.0 Content]

Hi everybody,

I'm looking for the best way using LabVIEW to get the PC informations (drives sn, processor id, etc) so that my application is only runnable on a machine (which info is in the LabVIEW source). If possible, to have an application that only runs on a unique cd-rom for example

I've already found code that calls vbs script or execute ipconfig command to get computer info, but these solutions don't seem safe enought.

Can anyone tell me which solution is the best to use or in which way I have to go?

Thank you in advance.

Bim

Assuming that you want this information to prevent piracy, another option is a USB dongle. This gives the customer the flexibility to install the application on other machines, but only run it on one machine at a time (The machine that has the dongle on it) I get my dongles at MAI Digital Security, they are only 20 dollars, and come with LabView VI

[Chris Davis]

Assuming that you want this information to prevent piracy, another option is a USB dongle. This gives the customer the flexibility to install the application on other machines, but only run it on one machine at a time (The machine that has the dongle on it) I get my dongles at MAI Digital Security, they are only 20 dollars, and come with LabView VI

[airak]

Thanx Micheal,

However the articles I got 4m google states how to use C++ or assembly codes to read BIOS number. How abt using Registry to read BIOS number??? I saw an article stating that registry too holds this numebr. My question is ... ho follproof is this (to read 4m registry??). Does every manufacture load this value in registry??

If there is some other method also pls let me know

I'm not going to do the homework for you, but if you Google on: "Get BIOS Serial Number" and do a little research you can figure out a way to use the BIOS serial number on the unique machine. This is much less likely to be changed than a hard drive and is also more secure. I have seen cracking toolkits that explicitly give tools that get around hard drive security number methods.

Good luck.

[Rolf Kalbermatter]

Thanx Micheal,

However the articles I got 4m google states how to use C++ or assembly codes to read BIOS number. How abt using Registry to read BIOS number??? I saw an article stating that registry too holds this numebr. My question is ... ho follproof is this (to read 4m registry??). Does every manufacture load this value in registry??

If there is some other method also pls let me know

While the registry might hold this number somewhere it is not terribly difficult to hook the registry access and return to a specific applciation different information than to the rest of the system. It definitely gives an attacker an extra angle to get in, and if you consider HD serial numbers not secure enough you must envision a dedicated hacker and not just the joe average user that knows little more than how to start an installer.

Of course you can even fool a tool that gets the information directly from the BIOs but that really requires some assembly and protected mode knowledge, although that knowledge is not something strange among real hackers.

Rolf Kalbermatter

[Mike Ashe]

Of course you can even fool a tool that gets the information directly from the BIOs but that really requires some assembly and protected mode knowledge, although that knowledge is not something strange among real hackers.

Rolf Kalbermatter

Agreed. In a race between security experts and hackers the hackers will almost always win eventually if it is important enough to them. Your security efforts can only make it more and more difficult and labor intensive to circumvent so you cut down on the number of hackers who are willing and able to invest the effort and time. Since we are talking about a LabVIEW application I assume you are creating an executable and one other precaution you might want to take is to not name your security VI with anything descriptive of the method you are using since it is possible to look inside a LabVIEW executable and see the names and even extract the VIs within the application. Don't worry too much, they cannot get to the diagrams or even the front panels of subVIs.

[airak]

Is there any way to open a password protected VI as u were saying in ur previous post using VI server or any other method???

I have a small utility but that works to crack on max password length of 5 chars....

Does anyone knows how to open NI password protected VI's????

Agreed. In a race between security experts and hackers the hackers will almost always win eventually if it is important enough to them. Your security efforts can only make it more and more difficult and labor intensive to circumvent so you cut down on the number of hackers who are willing and able to invest the effort and time. Since we are talking about a LabVIEW application I assume you are creating an executable and one other precaution you might want to take is to not name your security VI with anything descriptive of the method you are using since it is possible to look inside a LabVIEW executable and see the names and even extract the VIs within the application. Don't worry too much, they cannot get to the diagrams or even the front panels of subVIs.

[i2dx]

Does anyone knows how to open NI password protected VI's????

sure, it's simlpe:

just enter the correct password in the password dialog

(sorry, could not resist )

[Irene_he]

... Since we are talking about a LabVIEW application I assume you are creating an executable and one other precaution you might want to take is to not name your security VI with anything descriptive of the method you are using since it is possible to look inside a LabVIEW executable and see the names and even extract the VIs within the application. Don't worry too much, they cannot get to the diagrams or even the front panels of subVIs.

Maybe best embedd your security code in main vi so that no subvi for that used, that way no one can extract that vi from exe file and replace it if they know how.

Irene

[MatthewHarrison]

I'm not going to do the homework for you, but if you Google on: "Get BIOS Serial Number" and do a little research you can figure out a way to use the BIOS serial number on the unique machine. This is much less likely to be changed than a hard drive and is also more secure. I have seen cracking toolkits that explicitly give tools that get around hard drive security number methods.

Good luck.

I've been looking into this topic for while now, and without asking you to give too much away, is Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) the right tree to be barking up?

-Matt

[Mike Ashe]

I've been looking into this topic for while now, and without asking you to give too much away, is Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) the right tree to be barking up?

-Matt

Actually, now I think .NET might be a better way to go. Look at some of the recent blogs bythe LabVIEW developers. Search ni.com I thought I recalled seeing something recent. Hope it wasn't my old memory playing tricks.

[Tim Erickson]

If your application requires a DAQ card, you can use its serial number as a unique identifier.

Pros:

Harder to change than the hard drive serial number.

Can't install your application on another PC without taking the DAQ card with it.

Cons:

Will need a new key if the DAQ card ever needs to be replaced.