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.

New build for Activation center (ACEN) has been released.

What's new:

[+] Flexible locking policy added to Program settings.

Flexible locking options are now available on both system and Program level.

As before, default system flexible locking policy can be defined in ACEN options. These settings are stored in acen.config configuration file. 

Custom flexible locking policy can now be defined for each program in program settings. Flexible locking can now be also turned off in Program settings.

New options are added to program (activation section) settings:

- "Flexible locking" option (Default: ON)

If enabled, flexible locking will be enabled for program.

If disabled, flexible locking will not be enabled for program. This means that user will not be able to reactivate licenses for this program and even single change in locking parameters will result in "Too many locking parameters are different" error.

- "Use default system flexible locking policy" option (Default: ON)

If enabled, default system flexible locking policy will be used for this program.

If disabled, custom flexible locking policy will be used for this program. Valid flexible locking policy has to be set for this program in this case.

[*] "Client can manage licenses for this order" option will now be available in Order panel only in case activation is required for Program.

[>] UPGRADING NOTES:

General upgrading procedure:

https://www.sofpro.com/docs/activation-center-acen/deployment/upgrading-previous-versions

If you are upgrading from 04.50.00 version be sure to run database upgrade script (4.50.00-4.60.00.sql)

After installing this update and upgrading database, flexible locking will be enabled for all existing programs in database. By default, all programs will be set up to use default system flexible locking policy.

Next minor update of Activation center (ACEN) will bring flexible locking policy to new (Program) level.

From next update flexible locking options will be available on both system and Program level. 

System (default) flexible locking policy is defined in ACEN options. These settings are stored in acen configuration file.

What is new is that custom flexible locking policy can now be defined for each program. Even more, flexible locking can now be turned off completely in Program settings.

After installing new update and upgrading database, flexible locking will be enabled for all existing programs in database. By default, all programs will be set up to use default system flexible locking policy.

Final testing is underway and we expect to release new version of Activation center (ACEN) soon.

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