Thought for the Day

There is nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged
to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.

~ Nelson Mandela, South African black civil rights leader (1918 - )

Distributor Exclusive

Feature the new CrypKey 7 product on your website and we'll give you an additional 10% discount on all new licenses sold during the month(s) that the feature is displayed. We can even assist with developing the CrypKey web page and graphics for you. 

Contact Mary at 1-403-258-6274 or info@crypKey.com for more details.

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September Special

During the month of September, receive a $500 US discount when you purchase a new CrypKey DLM license to protect your PDF, PPT, WAV, HTM, HTML, and XLS files.

Don't wait — this offer ends September 30, 2007.

Visit http://www.crypkey.com/dlm.asp to see the full list of data files that can be protected in a Windows environment.

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Upcoming Release: CrypKey 7.1 with Vista 64

CrypKey SDK 7 and CrypKey Instant 7 currently support Vista 32-bit operating systems. The full release of CrypKey 7 is now available to our customers. For more information, contact us at sales@crypkey.com.

Here's a preview of what's in store in the upcoming release of CrypKey 7.1 with Vista 64: Vista Easy We've taken Vista compatibility a big step further by making CrypKey Instant and CrypKey SDK “Vista Easy”. Users often struggle with the way Vista handles file redirection when the application is placed in the Program Files directory. Sometimes, Vista redirects these files to a user-specific “Virtual Store” directory that is not available to other users of the computer. This is usually bad news for your CrypKey license files, as it means the license won't work for other users. CrypKey 7.1 addresses this by automatically detecting your program's attempt to put a license in a Program Files (or other Vista-illegal) directory. Before Vista redirects files to an unwanted directory, we redirect them to one you do want – one that works for all users of the computer. The bottom line: with CrypKey 7.1 you don't have to change anything to make CrypKey work perfectly with Vista . Seamless 64-bit Platform Support for 32-bit Programs If your customers try to run your 32-bit program on a 64-bit computer, will the licensing work? CrypKey's licensing and copy protection is contained in the CrypKey License Service and we've developed a 64-bit version of it. The CrypKey License Service install that comes with CrypKey 7.1 automatically detects 32- or 64-bit machines and installs the appropriate files. The CrypKey License Service handles the differences between 32- and 64-bit platforms and your program continues to operate normally on either. The bottom line: with CrypKey 7.1 you don't have to change anything to make CrypKey work perfectly on 64-bit Windows computers. Seamless 64-bit Program Support Are you contemplating making your application 64-bit now or in the future? If so, the 64-bit application support in CrypKey 7.1 takes care of this. Using the new 64-bit library, you can implement CrypKey in your 64-bit application just as easily as in a 32-bit application and enjoy the same functionality. The bottom line: if you're planning to migrate an application from 32 to 64 bits, you don't have to change anything to make CrypKey work perfectly. Wide Area Network (WAN) Support CrypKey 7.1 brings additional network functionality to your application. CrypKey already supports the placement of network licenses anywhere on a local area network (LAN), but CrypKey 7.1 allows network licenses to be accessed over a WAN too. This means that if your customers have computers that access a network outside the building, such as for virtual private network (VPN) use, they can still access the CrypKey network license on a computer inside the building. The bottom line: using CrypKey 7.1, you don't have to change anything to support WAN licensing.

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CrypKey DLM: PowerPoint Security

CrypKey DLM, our digital rights management product, protects PowerPoint files (.ppt) from unauthorized use, copying, sharing, and distribution. Now you can ensure that your intellectual property is protected at all times regardless of where it's published. You control who has access to your information, what they can do with it, and how long and when they can use it.

CrypKey DLM also protects PowerPoint files from unauthorized viewing, copying, modifying, saving, and distribution. You control the end user's ability to print your document and even specify how many times printing is allowed. You also control who views your documents, what they can do with them, and how long they can use them.

Integrate CrypKey DLM's security with your ecommerce system using Casper eRegister to deliver your secure documents 24/7/365 without user intervention.

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Anti-Piracy: Enemy Tactics

Software piracy continues to be a growing epidemic. According to the Second Annual Business Software Alliance (BSA) and IDC Global Software Piracy Study, thirty-five percent of the software installed on personal computers worldwide was pirated, representing a loss of nearly $33 billion US in 2004.

Following are a few of the most popular attacks against which any effective anti-piracy solution must defend.

Driver Replacement or Emulation: This is an attack in which the software based driver that is used to communicate between the application and key is replaced or emulated.

Replay: In a replay attack, the hacker monitors and copies communications as they flow between the hardware key and the application, then replays the communications to access the application.

Brute Force Attack: A brute-force attack is an attempt to discover a password by systematically trying every possible combination of letters, numbers, and symbols until the correct combination is identified.

Reverse Engineering: Reverse engineering is the use of debuggers and/or dissemblers to remove the software protection mechanism. These tools are used to understand how the application is working. Debuggers and dissemblers then either dump the code and/or replace the code to remove the calls to the hardware device.

Time Tampering: Time tampering is the rolling back of the system clock, tricking the application into continuing to function when it should have disabled after a limited time, such as with trial versions.

Visit the CrypKey website to better understand how to combat these threats at http://www.crypkey.com/anti_piracy.asp.

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CrypKey ASP: Licensing for ASP.NET

CrypKey ASP is an advanced user-management application with a web-based interface. It licenses and controls active server page (ASP) web content from unauthorized and illegal use. CrypKey ASP easily integrates with your ASP application by adding a small amount of code.

CrypKey ASP's comprehensive licensing features include:

• options and levels — allows you to manage users based on their level of access
• authorization — the Site Key Generator (SKG) allows you to license the CrypKey-protected ASP application with the restrictions you require
• use limited — allows you to specify license usage for a number of uses
• day limited — allows you to specify license usage for a number of days
• node lock — allows a single product to be licensed to a single workstation
• enterprise network features — license not only a standalone computer that an application is installed on, but also the entire enterprise network; a software license can be accessed by any network computer
• redundant servers — supports an unlimited number of redundant servers
• license server control and flexibility — allows you to specify the number of network seats and identify domains, computers, and users that can or cannot use a particular license
• license client flexibility — the licensed client machine finds a license anywhere on the network; allows you to set a priority list of servers to check when searching for a license
• dynamic server — allows you to set up a priority list of servers to check for a license
• smart server — figures out which server is available immediately for connection, and quickly reconnects to the server if there is a server hiccup
• server balancing — directs the client to the least busy server and can quickly connect to another server if the current one crashes

Protect hundreds of dollars of invested intellectual property

Before users can view an application that is managed with CrypKey ASP, they must obtain authorization from you. You provide authorization for a specific intranet location. CrypKey ASP controls the number of intranet users that have simultaneous access to your application (i.e., network seats).

Is CrypKey ASP Right for Me?

CrypKey ASP is intended for C # / ASP.NET 1.x and 2.x applications.

How Do I Find Out More?

Call us at 403.258.6274 or email sales@crypkey.com. Visit our website at http://www.crypkey.com/asp.asp.

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Identifying Pirated Software

Excerpt from www.CAAST.com:

You can significantly reduce the risk of buying illegal software by adopting these five easy procedures:

1. Understand What You are Buying
Take time to find out about the products that you are buying and the people that you are buying them from. Read reviews and talk to colleagues and suppliers so that you build up a knowledgeable perspective.

Your business probably has a growing dependency on information technology. It is therefore essential that you consider what would happen if you buy illegal software and it fails to operate as expected.

2. Check the Prices
The software industry is very competitive and you will inevitably find price variations between retails. However, you should be wary of a price that seems too attractive.

As a guide, check the offer against the manufacturer's recommended retail price. If you are buying a complete system, ask for hardware and software to be separately itemized on the quotation.

3. Be Sure That You are Given a License
It is a standard within the software industry that every legal piece of software include a developer's license agreement. This applies whether you are buying software for use on one machine, software to be networked across a number of machines or software that's preloaded as part of a system.

Whatever the application, the software will state the condition of its use.

4. Retain the Original Media
When you buy licensed software, the package will, in most cases, contain the original media (either diskettes or CD's, or the means to obtain it) plus certain documentation based on the manufacturer's standard procedures (such as user instructions). These should normally be supplied even if you are buying a preloaded system.

What should or should not accompany your software varies from one manufacturer (or OEM) to another, however the above scenario is most common and you should therefore be suspicious if you do not receive the original media.

If you are in any doubt - call the software publisher
The risk of buying illegal software is reduced if you follow the above rules. However if you still have doubts, call the software publisher. The publisher will tell you what you should receive as part of your purchase, they will give an indication of price range.

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Industry News: Microsoft Sets Release Date for Vista SP1

By: John Fontana
August 29, 2007 11:22AM (www.newsfactor.com)

Microsoft will release the Service Pack 1 update for Windows Vista in the first quarter of 2008, according to product manager Nick White , who is working on the Windows Vista team.

"But as always, we're first and foremost focused on delivering a high-quality release," White said in a blog posting on Wednesday. "So we'll determine the exact release date of SP1 after we have reached that quality bar."

Although SP1 for Vista originally had been scheduled for a late 2007 release, the delay is not expected to have a major impact on the plans of enterprises, said Gartner Client Computing research vice president Michael Silver .

"Many companies have not yet started to deploy Vista because of application compatibility issues, or even just application support issues -- meaning that the application may work but the vendor does not support it," Silver said.

"Some companies use SP1 as a milestone for deployment, so the earlier SP1 gets out, the earlier they'd start."

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Sunset on Casper eRegister and Casper eCommerce 1.x and CrypKey 5.7

Casper eRegister and Casper eCommerce

What version are you using? The current version for Casper is 2.0; build 230 encompasses all the latest technology and upgrades available. Effective November 30, 2006 , CrypKey no longer supports Casper 1.x. If you are still using Casper 1.x please contact our technical support team to determine a transition plan for upgrading your software.

With the release of CrypKey 7, we no longer support version 5.7. To ensure a smooth transition of your protected application(s), please contact technical support to discuss an implementation strategy that's best for you. We also advise customers to download the new CrypKey 7 instead of attempting to upgrade version 5.7, due to the vast changes in the technologies between versions.

Did You Know? CrypKey no longer supports Windows 3.1, 95, and 98.

Let us know which topics you'd like to see in upcoming issues of CrypKey Customer News. If you'd like to learn more about specific technical aspects of CrypKey products, tell us. Send your requests and suggestions to sales@crypkey.com.

We want to help. If you have questions about product subscription(s) or renewals, call us at 1-403-258-6274 or email sales@crypkey.com.

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Privacy

We respect your right to privacy and never make our mailing lists public. In our efforts to better serve you, we want to be certain that you would like to continue hearing from us. To unsubscribe from future CrypKey product bulletins and marketing updates, please send an e-mail to optout@crypkey.com with "Remove Me" in the subject heading.

We appreciate your business and continued support. Thank you for reading and have a great day!

Sincerely,
Team CrypKey