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Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

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Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#141

Post by TheAdamist »

MPlus88 wrote: post #135

"Thankfully, our digital signatures are lost in the process, so that's reassuring." So you mean the software has been digitally signed? If it is signed how is it possible that it is cracked? Isn't even a slight modification of the binaries will render the software unusable if it is signed? I have a software that is signed digitally and the certificate private/public key is supposedly takes some hundred billion years…

Signing the software protects against tampering and attests that it came from who signed it. There are some systems that require signed applications before they allow them to run, but most systems dont.

Signed drivers are more frequently required than applications.

Cracking tampers with the binary, so the signature is removed.

Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#142

Post by huhtenberg »

MPlus88 wrote: post #135

"Thankfully, our digital signatures are lost in the process, so that's reassuring." So you mean the software has been digitally signed? If it is signed how is it possible that it is cracked? Isn't even a slight modification of the binaries will render the software unusable if it is signed? I have a software that is signed digitally and the certificate private/public key is supposedly takes some hundred billion years…

A signature can be stripped off a binary, usually using the same tool that is used to add it.

Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#143

Post by yieldcrv »

Fire-Dragon-DoL wrote: post #54
PreInternet01 wrote: post #29

Congratulations! Having cracked versions out there indicates that your software is both useful and notable, which is a point where many developers would love to arrive at, maybe, one day. As to what to do about it, there are two basic tracks, neither of which is incompatible with the other: 1. The legal route: notifying distribution sites that they're hosting content in violation of copyright law, requesting takedown…

There was a videogame that got famous because it was pirated, it was a management game about setting up a gaming company. Turns out, the pirated copy had a special feature where the player would feel immense economic pressure from piracy, so a bunch of players asked how to win against this, it was pretty hard and really fun for people who knew what was going on. Point is, you could hide an Easter Egg for pirated vers…

That happened in I am Legend too

The pirated version had a different name for one of the mannequins, but people loved the quote and the acting for yelling out the name of the mannequin in the movie, so that led to people would arguing in internet comments about the name used and you could get a feel for how prevalent the piracy was by upvotes

Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#144

Post by mobilio »

moralestapia wrote: post #81
PreInternet01 wrote: post #29

Congratulations! Having cracked versions out there indicates that your software is both useful and notable, which is a point where many developers would love to arrive at, maybe, one day. As to what to do about it, there are two basic tracks, neither of which is incompatible with the other: 1. The legal route: notifying distribution sites that they're hosting content in violation of copyright law, requesting takedown…

>Congratulations! Indeed! There's a nice anecdote from Paulo Coehlo (I don't like his work but w/e) where he was stuck in traffic somewhere in LATAM and a guy passed by his car selling pirated copies of his newest book. He then says this event made him feel like he had finally made it and even became a strong promoter of piracy, heh.

Actually this happens in other country and Coehlo make free version of his own books: https://paulocoelhoblog.com/2008/02/03/pirate-coelho/

Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#145

Post by weakfortress »

fxtentacle wrote: post #116

With newaudiotechnology.com we eventually switched to using USB sticks as dongles. The reason is that we noticed some paying users were cracking it, too, because our licensing system didn't allow dual boot or having a workstation and a laptop. But our licenses were supposed to be per user and people wanted to carry our software around with them. If setup correctly, the same USB stick is now used both as licensing don…

Dongles don't prevent piracy. Famously, I remember paradox cracking several dongle-secured audio tools that were claimed to be "uncrackable". You may not even need to clone a dongle to do it.

Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#146

Post by wahnfrieden »

When I made my own Palm OS software, I put a funny hidden message in the binary for crackers to find. They noted it, amused, in the crack DB and I like to think it endeared some to support an indie dev directly. I didn’t bother trying to make it hard to crack (waste of my time and another’s time) and left some note about how to do it in the message. I was 15 or 16 and enjoyed the indirect interaction with that community.

After I shut down and stopped distribution, some other Chinese crackers kept the app alive and going via both cracking AND forcing in Chinese translations for the whole app. I loved to see that forum thread continue for years after I had moved on.

Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#147

Post by bearjaws »

paxys wrote: post #115

Here's the standard playbook for dealing with this: - Let hobbyists and tiny companies pirate your software. You don't have to encourage it, but you can still turn a blind eye. They weren't going to pay you anyways, and this is a good way to get people familiar with your products. - Ruthlessly go after mid-large sized companies if you find their employees pirating your software. They have money to pay, and will be ha…

In terms of how to know its a mid/large cap, the best way I've seen is to detect Windows Pro licenses or Active Directory. Are there better ways?

Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#148

Post by esel2k »

PreInternet01 wrote: post #29

Congratulations! Having cracked versions out there indicates that your software is both useful and notable, which is a point where many developers would love to arrive at, maybe, one day. As to what to do about it, there are two basic tracks, neither of which is incompatible with the other: 1. The legal route: notifying distribution sites that they're hosting content in violation of copyright law, requesting takedown…

I think 1 is absolutely is fantastic comment. How many people define as finding product market fit is if people love your program and tell about it to their friends. Here they even go as far to crack it.

A third option is a big looking what adobe photoshop did. Most people in the early days has an access to a cracked version and it became nearly the standard for image editing. And how did they then manage this: By adding cloud services.

You could maybe start small and say: „You can download our free templates (don’t know what type of software but I thought of some 3D models) from the web (new template every couple of month) and this works only with an activated version. By this you actively provide more value for your paying customer at the same time instead of wasting time and money to just make it harder to crack.

Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#149

Post by weakfortress »

shon wrote: post #28

These aren’t your customers. The user who is willing to stomach the time and risks associated with cracked software is NOT your target market anyway. This is essentially a free trial program for “aspirational users” who will circulate it for you. I’ve had my software (games) pirated, and been a pirate in my youth. Now I wouldn’t consider pirating because I have more money than time now. I suspect your actual addressa…

[dead]

Re: Ask HN: We found a cracked version of our software on the web, now what?

#150

Post by MPlus88 »

TheAdamist wrote: post #141
MPlus88 wrote: post #135

"Thankfully, our digital signatures are lost in the process, so that's reassuring." So you mean the software has been digitally signed? If it is signed how is it possible that it is cracked? Isn't even a slight modification of the binaries will render the software unusable if it is signed? I have a software that is signed digitally and the certificate private/public key is supposedly takes some hundred billion years…

Signing the software protects against tampering and attests that it came from who signed it. There are some systems that require signed applications before they allow them to run, but most systems dont. Signed drivers are more frequently required than applications. Cracking tampers with the binary, so the signature is removed.

The way I understand it is a signature is included in the binaries and when run the software will hash the binaries and the result is compared to the signature. If the two don't match the software has been tempered and the software won't run. If it is that easy to remove the signature then what is the point of signing a software? It will be like your first floor home has a steel door but the window is wide open.
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