New PC Guard Software Protection System update has been released. This update is highly recommended for all PC Guard users.

What's new:

[+] Added support for PyInstaller (https://www.pyinstaller.org) applications.

If you are looking for software copy protection solution for your Python (https://www.python.org/) applications you can now use PyInstaller for packaging applications into stand-alone executables and then PC Guard to additionally encrypt and protect such applications.

PyInstaller application will be detected during protection process. After confirmation, advanced overlay management (AOM) and internal overlay encryption will be automatically turned on for application.

All PyInstaller applications targeting Python 2.7 (32bit apps) and 3.4-3.7 (64bit apps) are supported by appropriate PC Guard versions.

[*] Multiple Advanced overlay management (AOM) optimizations and improvements including new encryption algorithm.

[+] New command line option for protected applications: PCG_CL_ACTFILE

Use this option to override default activation filename which is defined in project settings and embedded into protected application by passing it via command line to protected application.

Definition:

-PCG_CL_ACTFILE [Full path to activation file]

Examples:

-PCG_CL_ACTFILE C:\test\license.dat

Protection code will try to load “C:\test\license.dat” activation file.

-PCG_CL_ACTFILE “D:\my application data\activate.dat”

Be sure to put full path to activation filename in quotes in case path contains space characters as in above example.

[+] Activation panel: Added button for opening folder with generated activation file.

[#] Protected application will no longer display activation file error 0000000D (Activation code is already in use).

Protected application will try to load activation file even after activation if license extension feature is enabled. This error was displayed in case activation file that was originally used for activation was still present in application's folder after activation either because "Delete activation file after activation" option was not enabled or in case it was enabled but protection code was not able to delete activation file after activation due to inadequate security rights. Protection code will now just ignore such activation file and will not display any error on startup.

[*] Optimized i/o access for large sets of protected applications.

This improvement will minimize number of access denied and sharing violation errors in case of tens or more protected applications starting at same time and using same license information.

[!] Few other minor fixes and security improvements.

[>] Interface dll has been updated. Please be sure to update existing version with latest one.

New PC Guard Software Protection System update has been released. This update is highly recommended for all PC Guard users.

What's new:

[+] USB protection: locking to USB network adapters is now available.

There are now two locking options in USB protection method:

1. USB storage device (serial number lock)

2. USB network adapter (NIC) device (MAC address lock)

Default USB device type is USB storage device.

[*] USB protection: multiple card readers and usb hubs are no longer displayed as multiple devices but as single device.

[*] Protection report will include information about network adapter used for locking: Adapter type, Description and MAC address.

[*] USB protection: information about previously set (currently valid) USB device (USB drive or USB network adapter) is now always displayed in USB protection settings.

[+] “Block adapters with locally administered MAC address” option added to USB protection settings.

If enabled, protected application will ignore all adapters with locally administered MAC address.

If disabled, protection code will still check if locally administered MAC address is set for adapter and try to determine original MAC address.

[*] PC Guard will display a warning message during protection process if locally administered MAC address is set for USB NIC used for locking.

[*] Protection interface: CheckForUsbDrive will check for both USB storage and USB NIC device depending on project settings.

[#] Language editor: Default USB_Drive_Missing error message changed to "Please connect required USB device to this computer."

[+] -ACENPWD [Password] command line option added.

Use this command line option to set ACEN server password from command line.

NOTE: ACEN web server password is never stored in project settings.

[*] .NET applications: new warning message:

If protection interface is enabled and alternate protection interface is disabled, PC Guard will display warning messages and automatically enable alternate protection interface since it is required for .NET applications.

If protected application is not using protection interface, protection interface option should be turned off in project settings.

[#] Network protection + demo mode changes:

Activation dialog with demo mode counters is now displayed if appropriate options for displaying limitations are set in demo mode settings. Until now, only demo mode (trial) expiration message was displayed for applications protected with network protection.

[!] Few other minor fixes and security improvements.

[>] Interface dll has been updated. Please be sure to update existing version with latest one.

Next minor update of PC Guard Software Copy Protection System will further extend USB protection method.

USB protection method currently allows locking of protected applications to any USB storage device like external usb hd drive, usb flash drive, usb card reader or even usb hub as long as there is valid serial number associated with such device.

Starting from next update, PC Guard will also allow locking to USB network adapters. USB NIC MAC address is used for locking in this case. 

This means that locking will depend on selected USB device type (USB storage device or USB network adapter device).

Final testing is underway and we expect to release new version of PC Guard soon.

As always, we are looking forward to your comments and suggestions!

New PC Guard Software Protection System update has been released. This update is highly recommended for all PC Guard users.

What's new:

[*] Machine locking: NET ID algorithm has been improved.

- Only enabled network adapters are scanned.

- Virtual network adapters are detected and not used for locking.

- Only physical wired or wireless adapters including usb adapters are used for locking.

- Internal physical network adapters now have priority over external USB network adapters. 

- There is no longer need for disconnecting external network adapters on first activation to avoid locking to external network adapters.

- Only in case no internal network adapters are found protection code will use external USB network adapters for NET ID.

- If there are multiple valid network adapters protection code will use first found valid network adapter for initial NET ID.

- All network adapters are scanned when validating initial NET ID.

IMPORTANT: Application updates protected with this build could reset existing license in case NET ID locking was enabled, flexible locking is off and original NET ID value on remote computer was 0 (previous update was not able to obtain NET ID).

[+] Protection report now includes detailed information about smart dll handling feature.

[*] Improved memory handling for dll modules.

[!] Few other minor fixes and security improvements.

New PC Guard Software Protection System update has been released. This update is highly recommended for all PC Guard users.

What's new:

[+] Two new options added to "External application will control activation process" feature:

- "Show error message if external application is missing" option.

If selected, protected application will show error message if not able to run external application.

If not selected, protected application will just silently exit.

- "Pass command line parameters" option.

If selected, protected application will pass command line parameters to external application.

[*] Protection code will now generate full path to external application which should be located in same directory as protected application in order to prevent problems in case application is run with different startup directory.

[*] Demo mode: The way protected application is handling displaying of activation dialog with demo counters based on status of display limitation counter option, threshold value and special key pop-up feature has been rewritten and additionally documented.

Updated documentation is available at:

https://www.sofpro.com/docs/pc-guard/2-common-settings/2-5-demo-mode

[*] Smart dll handling feature has been improved.

[*] External application filename length has been increased to 40 chars.

[!] Flexible machine locking settings: error was reported in case no hardware locks were set as changeable and all software locks are marked as changeable.

[!] Fixed problem with license extension of application with limited license disabled via activation code and with at least one of limitations expired.

[!] Few other minor fixes and security improvements.

[>] Interface dll has been updated. Please be sure to update existing version with latest one.