User's Manual

12
Operating system Support
Utilities
Automatic
protection
Parallel
SmartKey
SmartKey
USB
SmartKey
USB DL
(Driver Less)
Windows i386 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Windows x64 Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Linux i386 No No Yes Yes Yes
Mac OS X Intel/PowerPC No No No Yes Yes
Table 1
Software available
3.1 Who needs SmartKey?
SmartKey is mainly aimed at software houses, because they need to protect their software against diffusion and illegal
copies.
However, SmartKey is needed not only by software developers: end-users such as company managers, information
systems managers, and sales managers can obtain great benefits from its technology. With GSS technology, programs
can be protected without knowing the source code.
•
Software-houses
use SmartKey to prevent software piracy and the illegal spreading of their programs. Only
users with the dongle can activate execution of protected programs.
•
Sales managers
use SmartKey to provide potential customers with fully operational copies of the programs,
without the risk, however, of operational copies being made. By using SmartKey, they can even monitor the
number of executions performed by the programs.
• Company managers
and
information system managers
use SmartKey to prevent civil and criminal
responsibilities for the theft of software by employees. With SmartKey, the site-licenses agreements for the
purchased software are safeguarded against users' temptations.
•
IT lab managers
of schools and universities use SmartKey to prevent responsibility for abusive copies of
software by students. Software for school use is purchased at special conditions and, heavy penalties are
imposed when the programs are used outside the school.
End-users do not have to worry about how to use SmartKey: all they have to do is to insert the dongle in the parallel
port or USB port and forget about it. SmartKey protects programs, while being completely transparent to the user.
3.2 What are SmartKey's characteristics?
SmartKey is based on the use of electronic chips, dedicated microprocessors and algorithms that implement security
functions.
•
High security
: cloning via hardware is impossible thanks to the implementation of dongle questioning
algorithms (scrambling).
• Installation on parallel port: SmartKey Parallel installs on the parallel port of any personal computer.
•
Installation on USB port
: SmartKey USB installs on the parallel port of any personal computer with at least
one USB port.
• Algorithmic interrogation:
SmartKey has an algorithmic interrogation mechanisms used to both protect the
software and to encrypt confidential data.
• Personalized codes:
every SmartKey is individually personalized with a factory fitted internal code, which
differs for each user.
• Code programming capability:
SmartKey has additional codes programmable by the user. No special
programming devices are necessary, just the supplied software utilities.
•
Internal memory
up to 8192 bytes of non-volatile memory for reading and writing, and over 16+16 access
code bytes are available inside SmartKey
•
Standalone and network use:
models are available for protecting both standalone software and programs on a
local network.