Vatari software protection - How it works?

Customer gets a data medium (RAW) with program or with game purchased in the store or on the internet. This medium doesn’t contain all files needed for running its content. When installation onto customer’s device is done (computer, console…), internet connection to Digital String Technology sever is established and customer’s hardware vital information (CPU serial number, memory configuration, graphic card parameters, performance parameters, hard drive serial numbers etc.) are sent along with the product ID of RAW disc to distributor’s (franchiser’s) server. DST server will put and scramble all these information together into all missing executable files stored on the DST server, so no other device (computer, console, PDA…) but customer’s one is able to run this distributor’s program or game. These missing parts are built just and only for one device and sent via internet to customer. Any following attempt to copy such created installation from originated customer’s device to another one will result in failures and denial when running such an unauthorized copy. Unauthorized copying of RAW discs or installation packs will be useless for software pirates and on the other hand, copies of already authorized installations would have to be completely rewritten from the scratch, so there is an extremely high effectivity of this protection scheme.

Digital String Technology protection features:

- This protection is independent on used media. It can protect CD and DVD programs, PC and MAC games and applications, console games, PDA programs, cell phone games etc. and even online-distributed products. Purchased physical media (such as CDs, DVDs…) contain just a portion of files (depends on distributor’s decision how big the digitally pre-coded string will be, how many files will have to be pre-coded and transferred to customer’s device etc.). The advantage for distributor is he gives no chance to software pirates to examine and disassemble executable files, because they are not present on RAW disc at all, and when they arrive from DST server to be injected into device, they are all different on each computer. Big hassles for software pirates.

- No secondary program driver is required to be installed on customer’s device. No hardware keys, dongles etc. Distributor can see all customers, their licenses, may permit or deny additional authorizations (when customer’s device has been eventually upgraded, a new string must be issued otherwise the program will stop working). COM interface (Command – Operate – Manage) allows developer/distributor almost anything, especially managing specific authorizations and upgrading his system.

- Customer doesn’t have to insert his RAW CD/DVD (media) into drive in order to use / play the program or game, no backups are needed. Protection scheme is bind to customer’s device, not to the distribution media!! That’s the main difference between Digital String Technology and all other available protections on the market. Another crucial difference is that all encryption techniques can be upgraded at any time if some part of this scheme is compromised. So, if there is a crack for a game protected by current copy protection methods provided by competitors on the internet, all distributed CD/DVD media are virtually lost for distributor and may (will) be compromised. Bad luck. But Digital Stream Technology gives producer and/or distributor a powerful (and yet flexible) method how to protect their investments even when some of authorizations and licenses might have been compromised.

- Go Medium doesn’t have to be necessarily a CD-R or DVD-R writable medium. It may be whatever what can store data (hard drive, USB flash disc, memory card…). This so called “digital string” (a pack of pre-coded files from DST server) may be stored along with program installation in computer or may be burnt onto CD-R media, there’s no limitation. Distributor is assured his product will be run only on one (or limited number of) device(s).