PC Security Dongle

[FLPilot]

Has anyone messed around with USB dongles that keep people from using your computer? I found this one from Officemax and was wondering if these actually work. I also found devices like this one, but again not sure if they are worth the money. So tell me what you think.

[Pairallel]

I work for a software company. We have been using dongles for 10 years that plug into the parallel port. They prevent customers from buying our license, then loading our software on multiple computers, like you might do with Windows or Norton.

They work great for preventing users from accessing a specific drive or certain program, but if you want to disable an entire computer, you need a different device.

[PNW-Pilot]

Originally posted by Pairallel
I work for a software company. We have been using dongles for 10 years that plug into the parallel port. They prevent customers from buying our license, then loading our software on multiple computers, like you might do with Windows or Norton.

They work great for preventing users from accessing a specific drive or certain program, but if you want to disable an entire computer, you need a different device.

You work for one of those companies. What ever you buy make sure to check out the anti-security websites to make sure there isn't a crack or work-around for that device.

[Pairallel]

Good point. We don't use the $29 dongles - ours are programmable, password protected and encrypted. Also, we service each account and have modem access, so we can monitor the number of users at any given time to make sure they don't exceed the number of licenses purchased.

[PNW-Pilot]

Originally posted by Pairallel
Good point. We don't use the $29 dongles - ours are programmable, password protected and encrypted. Also, we service each account and have modem access, so we can monitor the number of users at any given time to make sure they don't exceed the number of licenses purchased.

Ouch the dongle police

The best way to protect yourself is by thinking as the evil person, put your self in their shoes and try and find a way into your security. I'm sure you won't find a hack for that usb security device but you nevere know, those people are very crafty. It won't take much to hack your win2k password and log on, us that to access your HD and find your files. But even there you can encrypt your HD. Computer security is mearly making sure that when they do get in you limit their access and that you log what they are doing. There is no such thing as a safe machine, well there is, but you have to power it off and lock it in a safe.

Meanwhile dont' let me scare you, I'm very curious about those USB keys, i read an article awhile back on using a normal usb storage for holding the encryption key for software and using it rather then an expensive specific useone.

[hop23]

Originally posted by Pairallel
Good point. We don't use the $29 dongles - ours are programmable, password protected and encrypted. Also, we service each account and have modem access, so we can monitor the number of users at any given time to make sure they don't exceed the number of licenses purchased.

/SOAPBOX

I'm glad I don't have to deal with a company with such an obnoxious policy. There are several versions of license server software around, some of which are open source, that are intended to solve problems such as this. Such an intrusive monitoring policy would never fly at my company. In fact, remote access by vendors is strictly controlled and permitted only under change controls or as part of problem resolution activity. All remote access is secured via VPN and all activities are logged.

/eSOAPBOX

[Pairallel]

Since hop23 has already hijacked this thread, I will respond to his knee-jerk reaction...

1. Why is it obnoxious to make sure that users don't steal our products via illegal software duplication? When you sell licenses worth $20,000 each for software that took 10 years to develop, these steps are necessary.

2. Intrusive monitoring policy? There is no monitoring policy...as indicated, it is not necessary with the programmable dongle. If we suspect a customer of illegal software pirating (obviously not endorsed by their management) we will get management's permission to verify the # of users and correct the unfortunate "oversight" on their part..

3. We only use modem access to solve problems or correct user errors at the request of the customer, and all access is logged and controlled...

How many more billions more would Microsoft be worth if they could control and receive payment for all of the unauthorized copies of their operating systems floating around out there? For software that is universally criticized as "not good enough", it sure has been pirated a lot...


My apologies to FLPilot...now back to your regularly scheduled programming....

[tim.s]

Originally posted by PNW-Pilot
Ouch the dongle police ...

"Ouch"? What did the dongle police do that make you say "ouch"? ...on second thought, I don't want to know...

[jay]

Originally posted by tim.s
"Ouch"? What did the dongle police do that make you say "ouch"? ...on second thought, I don't want to know...

Have you ever had anyone police your dongle? For me, ouch is foremost in my mind.

[hop23]

Originally posted by Pairallel
Since hop23 has already hijacked this thread, I will respond to his knee-jerk reaction...

Well, I don't think I hijacked the thread - I responded directly to the content of a previous post. And I don't think the reaction was "knee-jerk", but I did flag it as a soapbox.

Our company has contracts with many software vendors, several of which (including Microsoft, IBM, CA, and a few others) are a few million dollars per year. None of these vendors has felt the need to use dongles such as you describe. Several use license server technology, which can not only enforce license limits but also provide accurate usage reporting.

Every once in a while, though, there's a vendor that thinks their software is more "special" than everyone else's. If they are the only ones providing software that meets a particular need, then maybe they can wag the dog. Otherwise, in an open market, folks vote with their pocketbooks.

[Pairallel]

The thread was designed to get feedback on the use of a USB dongle for a personal computer. I don't see how uninformed judgements on one responder's assumed company policy helps the thread creator. But that's just me...

Feel free to keep soaping up -

I'm through here...

[FLPilot]

Thanks for the info guys. The use of this dongle will be for a computer at work. It will be so none of the other officers (who don't know much about computers to begin with) can get on to check their emails or just look to see what is on that computer. The reason being is that it will be used for undercover work only and most of my investigations consist internet investigations dealing with children and porn. Obviously it is not something that you want to have free access to and I was going to have a password added to the bios so that XP wouldn't even start, but figured I would just try this first.