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FlexNet Licensing Adds Powerful Defenses Against Hackers

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FlexNet Licensing Adds Powerful Defenses Against Hackers

December 12, 2014
By Steve Anderson, Contributing TMCnet Writer

It's easy to worry about hackers these days. Every few days it seems there's some new bit of information about someone getting hacked; some business getting hit, some nude photos being taken, somebody who discovers he or she has a bundle of new credit cards, all of which have been maxed out already, and so on combine to set a very distressing picture for those concerned about hackers. Software licensing has similar concerns about hackers, and to that end, Flexera Software has brought out a new line of enhancements for its FlexNet Licensing system, which will provide what it calls a “ring of defense” around applications.


With the FlexNet Licensing system's new protections, developers will be better positioned to monetize apps by protecting the code and similar systems against tampering and theft. Included in the new upgrades is a system that functions like a moat for software, a secure barrier established around the application which makes it much more difficult to launch debugging tools and application signature spoofing systems, protecting the software. But beyond that, there are also some new tools for code obfuscation, making it harder to find the base code and reverse engineer said code, meaning that, essentially, it's now much harder to pick the lock on the front door because the front door looks like the rest of the house. A set of “motion sensors” have also been added that allow alerts to take place when hackers are trying to make the modifications that can result in application theft.

That's already a substantial amount of protection going into the system, but there are further supports in place including Microsoft (News - Alert) Virtual Machine Generation ID that helps spot cloning in use, as well as keeping customers compliant with the virtual environments that use this service in other ways. With this tool in place, app developers can either shut down cloning before it starts, or bill for cloning being done, allowing for extra flexibility in the process of protection. Additionally, with this new connection to Microsoft, those using Flexnet Licensing can use the service with applications for Microsoft Azure.

The results of a recent BSA Global Software Survey show just what's at stake here, revealing that 43 percent of all software installed on PCs worldwide was not properly licensed, representing $62 billion in total value. That led to commentary from Flexera Software's vice president of product management, Mathieu Baissac, who noted “The amount of revenue illegally being siphoned away from producers due to unauthorized software use is staggering. Today's hackers are extremely sophisticated and relentless, leaving vulnerable the application producers that fail to implement the latest security measures. FlexNet Licensing offers best-in-class, multi-faceted, patent-pending tamper resistance to ward off hackers, allowing producers to better guard their intellectual property, protect revenues, and focus on their core competencies.”

With that kind of revenue at stake, it's not surprising that companies are starting to look seriously at better protecting those developed applications, and it's further not surprising that Flexera Software would be one of the routes to choose. With a variety of protective measures on hand, as well as some flexibility to better protect against less malicious types of problem like accidental licensing issues, there's certainly value here in being able to protect the license stream without having to necessarily play the heavy in the meantime. Flexera looks to offer the best of several possible worlds here, and should realize clear benefit from offering it. 




Edited by Alisen Downey

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