Copy Protection of Access Application

  • Thread starter Thread starter JRF
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JRF

How can I protect an Access *.mdb application from being copied, is it
possible, as it is with other files such as *.doc and *.xls files by setting
attributes. I have implemented the shift-bypass feature in an application
to prevent viewing of code over the *.mde creation. I would like to explore
protecting my *.mdb file from being copied, or does it even make sense to
concern myself with this area to begin with?
 
JRF said:
How can I protect an Access *.mdb application from being copied, is it
possible, as it is with other files such as *.doc and *.xls files by
setting attributes. I have implemented the shift-bypass feature in
an application to prevent viewing of code over the *.mde creation. I
would like to explore protecting my *.mdb file from being copied, or
does it even make sense to concern myself with this area to begin
with?
Click to expand...

What are you worried about being copied? Data or design? Do you know
what a MDE file is? Do you know about user level security? Where are the
files? How do people gain access to the files? Do you need people to be
able to see but not copy data? Will they be using the same machine or
access via a LAN?
 
I do know about your mentioned items, just wondering if there was a way of
preventing an individual from copying an application from one CD to another,
something such as currently being tried with music CD's, just a curiousity
thing. Without curiousity, much of what we have today would not exist.
 
JRF said:
How can I protect an Access *.mdb application from being copied, is it
possible, as it is with other files such as *.doc and *.xls files by setting
attributes. I have implemented the shift-bypass feature in an application
to prevent viewing of code over the *.mde creation. I would like to explore
protecting my *.mdb file from being copied, or does it even make sense to
concern myself with this area to begin with?
Click to expand...

This doesn't exactly answer your explicit question but by making the
app an MDE as Joseph states will help along with the following.

Tools available from sites such as sysinternals.com can crack any
method you use to store a future date anywhere on a system such as in
the registry or a file. Unless it's encrypted. But even then if you
delete the date from wherever it's stored your app may think it's just
installed.

Thus I prefer to limit the number of records in one key table such as
5 units or 50 volunteers but allow unlimited access for everything
else. Once I get paid then I email them an encrypted file containing
the number of records they are licensed for as well as their company
name which goes on the bottom of every page of every report.

For more of my thoughts on this topic see my "Copy protection or how
to safely distribute a demo Microsoft Access Application" page at my
website.

Tony

--
Tony Toews, Microsoft Access MVP
Please respond only in the newsgroups so that others can
read the entire thread of messages.
Microsoft Access Links, Hints, Tips & Accounting Systems at
http://www.granite.ab.ca/accsmstr.htm
 
JRF said:
I do know about your mentioned items, just wondering if there was a
way of preventing an individual from copying an application from one
CD to another, something such as currently being tried with music
CD's, just a curiousity thing. Without curiousity, much of what we
have today would not exist.
Click to expand...

I'm back with the same type of question. What are you trying to
protect? Who do you suspect will have access to this file to copy it and
will they want to copy the data or the file structure to use it with their
data?

It is impossible to suggest how to secure it with out knowing more about
what you are protecting and the threat.

Of course if you just keep your computer and all the files locked up,
that should do it.
 
Thanks Tony, the information was informative. I too use the record
limitation methods and creation of *.mde, also setting some of the security
features in code on open of the application, and the application default
form.

The security issue raised my brows a few days ago when I saw a single
purchase software application "copied" onto several individual CD's and
distributed to a small group of individual workstations, knowing that the
original purchase was for a single use license.
 
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