CrypKey News is a newsletter for customers of CrypKey (Canada) Inc. This newsletter contains important information about CrypKey protection and the security of your software. Please review the following information and print this newsletter for your files. Welcome Company News Product News Feature Article Technical Support News Subscription Status Talk To Us Privacy

Welcome

Welcome to the latest edition of CrypKey News, the newsletter exclusively for customers of CrypKey (Canada) Inc.

Available Monthly

CrypKey News is now issued monthly rather than quarterly to keep you up-to-date on the latest CrypKey product and company news and information.

If you wish to opt out of this newsletter and no longer wish to receive CrypKey subscription information, please send a blank email to: optout@crypkey.com.

If you have any questions, please contact us at: info@crypkey.com.

CrypKey Wins its Third Readers Choice Award

CrypKey (Canada) Inc. received its third Readers Choice Award from Visual Studio Magazine at VSLife! in San Francisco on March 23, 2004.

CrypKey was presented with the 2004 Readers Choice Merit Award by Visual Studio Magazine, the leading independent source of technical information for professional developers working with Microsoft-based technologies.

The highly coveted Readers Choice Awards are given to companies whose products receive the most votes from readers of Visual Studio Magazine.

CrypKey received the Readers Choice Merit Award in the Security & Copy Protection category for CrypKey Instant, CrypKey's popular copy protection product that prevents unauthorized software usage and duplication. Merit awards are given to products that also show real value to Visual Studio Magazine readers.

CrypKey has received the Readers Choice Award from Visual Studio Magazine in 2003 and 1999.

New Product Features

At CrypKey, we are constantly working to adjust and develop our product lines to meet your needs. The following are new features we have added to our products:

1. Casper eTransfer Feature

Casper's eTransfer feature takes software licensing to a new level, permitting customers to upload and download Casper licenses to computers anywhere in the world. Watch for more details on about this feature or contact us directly.

2. New Platinum Support Plan

CrypKey offers a new Platinum Support plan with enhanced support features including telephone support via a toll-free number.
To learn more about this plan, see "New Support Options: Silver, Gold and Platinum" under item 5. Technical Support News in this new letter.

New Product Releases

1. CrypKey SDK 6.1

2003-12-04 Build 6107
• Threading bug fixed in Stealth. For programs that use more than 2 threads, this is significant.
  
  2004-01-27 Build 6108
• Problem in DAL RUNS and DAYS only loophole fixed
  
  2004-03-01 Build 6109
• New Function CUST INFO BYTES added
  
  2004-03-01 Build 6110
• Fixed problem with GetAuthorization() reporting zero even if NT Driver not working
  
  2004-04-01 Build 6111
• Added Static Key functionality
  
  2004-04-26 Build 6112
• Fixed problem with -24 if app is in the Start up folder.
  
  

2004-04-27 Build 344

• Removed unnecessary tracer warning
  
• Fixed 16-bit command line option and level appending problem.
  
  2004-04-20 Build 343
  
• EasyLicense support for eTransfer
  
  2004 -04-01 Build 342
  
• eTransfer updates
  
  2004- 04 -10 Build 341
  
• eTransfer commands for Casper. Requires casper.dll 2.0.136 or newer
  
  2004-03-21 Build 340
  
• Dialog box for tracer error fix in build 338 had inverted meanings for the OK/Cancel buttons
  
  2004-02-24 Build 339
  
• Fixes to Chinese runtime library
  
  

• an updated time bomb license to avoid zero day license;
  
• adjusted session handling for CasperWeb;
  
• To reinstall, overwrite registry settings only if that setting does not exist.

How to Facilitate Version Control with CrypKey

Too often, our CrypKey Support team receives calls from vendors who tell us: "My customer copied our new trial software into their old directory and it works with the old license."

Essentially, the end-user now has a fully licensed upgrade without paying for it, and the vendor is not happy. To avoid this scenario and facilitate version control, first consider how you wish to implement CrypKey protection products.

When you issue a trial of an updated version of your software, you may not want it to work with the old license that has been assumed or transferred in. Incrementing the Ready-To-Try version alone is not enough to force a trial version to run.

When CrypKey Instant is run, a trial license is initialized only if there is no currently active license. Many developers have followed the same path of logic when implementing CrypKey SDK into their product. To force a trial on your upgrades, it is necessary to do two things:

1. Associate your trial versions with a level number. When your application checks and finds a valid license, check to see if the level of the license it finds is correct for that version of you application.

2. Initialize the trial license in a different location: if the level check fails, then initialize the trial in a different directory to avoid overwriting a valid license.

Ask yourself the following question to facilitate version control: Does the product have an active license? If yes, check to ensure the level is valid. If the level is valid, the application is authorized.

If no, call the Ready-To-Try function to initialize the new trial license in the current directory.

If the level is not valid, re-initialize CrypKey using a different license location by calling InitCrypKey ("\\trial\\license.dat,MK,UK,0,300) and Ready-To-Try (&oplevel,30). Following these steps will allow you to ensure a good trial of your upgrade without overwriting an existing license.


Version Control with CrypKey Instant

Unlike with CrypKey SDK, you cannot force CrypKey Instant to initialize a trial license if the level check fails. This is because you cannot make any calls to CrypKey functions, so it cannot implement the logic above. Instead, with CrypKey Instant, you must specify a different location to look for a trial license (e.g. \TrialDir\license.dat).

In CrypKey Instant, you can specify the new location in the filename edit control, located in the Crypkey Tab. The trial level (and version) can be specified under the Ready-To-Try settings of the Security Type Tab. With CrypKey Instant, you can also use a level check to verify a license before allowing processing to continue. Using a level check will prevent users from transferring an older license into the trial directory.

Finally, once the new trial has expired, don't forget that you must configure your SiteKey Generator to support the new level. If you have further questions, contact support@crypkey.com

Support Announcements

1. New Support "Special Forces" Division

CrypKey announces its new "Special Forces" Support Division, a customer care initiative to help improve your support needs and queries.

We have also made some improvements to our CrypKey Platinum and Gold Annual Subscription support packages.

• We have a new specialist who will provide telephone and technical support to Platinum and Gold customers.
  
• Platinum and Gold subscribers will also now have access to the CrypKey Yahoo! ID.

This section is only available to CrypKey customers.

7. Talk To Us

Share Your Ideas

Let us know of any topics you would like to see in upcoming issues of CrypKey News. If you would like to learn more about specific technical aspects of CrypKey products, please tell us.

Send your requests and suggestions to us at news@crypkey.com.

Questions?

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

You can also reach us using our website Contact Form at http://crypkey.com/contact/contform/contform.html