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Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!talcott!sesame!slerner
From: slerner@sesame.UUCP (Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner)
Newsgroups: net.micro.pc
Subject: Re: software protection - dongles
Message-ID: <244@sesame.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 2-Aug-85 11:52:42 EDT
Article-I.D.: sesame.244
Posted: Fri Aug  2 11:52:42 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 4-Aug-85 06:27:06 EDT
References: <566@alberta.UUCP> <10800011@uiucdcsp> <176@entropy.UUCP> <922@mtgzz.UUCP> <200@sesame.UUCP> <204@ptsfb.UUCP> <209@kitty.UUCP>
Organization: Lotus Development Corp
Lines: 35

> If you're going to put part of the code in the dongle, why not put ALL of it
> in the dongle? I mean, cartridge software is reliable and fast to load, and
> with todays PROMs you can get quite a lot of code in one. Of course you can't
> call it a cartridge, because then people will think "GAME MACHINE". How about
> "THEREWARE", because it's always their waiting for you?
> 
> But then you'ld have to worry about all the hackers with PROM burners.

Two comments:

1.  A key with 1K ROM is a lot cheaper than a key with 300K ROM.  
    One major goal is to keep key cost at $5-7.

2.  The code is executed IN THE KEY.  This is not the same as the
    PC executing ROM code from a key.  The 'software lock' passes
    a subroutine ID and paramater block to the key, and the key
    fiddles with it and passes a paramater block back.  Just
    to make it more fun, some paramaters could be dummy, and 
    a state machine could cause the mapping of routine-id to
    actual routines vary.  VERY hard to figure out and patch.

PS: While someone @ a large lab could take apart a key and scan
it in an attempt to pirate, this is avoidable using a coating
developed for UK MoD, which is supposed to make ICs non-scanable.

-- 
Opinions expressed are public domain, and do not belong to Lotus
Development Corp.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner

              {genrad|ihnp4|ima}!wjh12!talcott!sesame!slerner
                      {cbosgd|harvard}!talcott!sesame!slerner
                                slerner%sesame@harvard.ARPA