Spices.Fortress 1.0.0

Spices.Fortress is a protection tool (not an obfuscator) for C# 2.0 Windows Forms applications Spices.Fortress is a software protection utility (not an obfuscator) for C# 2.0 Windows Forms applications.
The goal of Spices.Fortress is to protect C# applications from unauthorized use by limiting the functionality of evaluation or trial versions. Applications protected by Spices.Fortress work as evaluation versions, but as soon as they are unlocked with a secure Fortress Key, they start operating as fully functional versions. Spices.Fortress does not protect .NET class libraries, but Windows Forms applications only.
Traditional protection technique implies use of some checking routines to control execution of the protected parts of the application. Spices.Fortress uses another approach to the problem of protection of C# applications. It protects not code, but data needed to run the application. In .NET Windows Forms applications data is a link between events and event handlers. The difference between the trial and the registered versions is based on the use of different event handlers for trial and registered versions of the protected application. The trial version uses one set of event handlers, whereas the registered version uses another one.
When protecting applications, Spices.Fortress uses only native C# means, i.e. no external processing of C#-produced executables takes place.
Spices.Fortress protects the forms of C# projects on the source level, which means that Spices.Fortress temporarily modifies the source code and then, after recompilation, the application is protected.
When applied, Spices.Fortress modifies the source code of the form in such a manner that after re-compiling each event protected by Spices.Fortress has no event handler assigned. When a protected application is started, the trial event handlers are assigned to corresponding events. If a valid Fortress Key is found, registered event handlers replace the trial ones. The protected application does not use any checking routines to choose which set of event handlers to use. Instead, it uses the data contained in the Fortress Resource and the Fortress Key to assign registered event handlers to corresponding events.
To be protected by Spices.Fortress, a C# form must contain components that have events with assigned event handlers.
Future versions of Spices.Fortress will also support VB.NET projects.
Here are some key advantages of "Spices Fortress":
- protection of .NET applications, not their obfuscation;
- protection of the data needed to run the application, not the code itself;
- use of only native (but characteristic of C#) means;
- the protected executable is natively compiled by C# (hence no compatibility problems);
- no external processing of C#-produced protected executables;
- the Key is not checked but is used to restore the protected functionality;
- each Key contains personal data, therefore each Key may be easily identified.
Main features:
- Protection, Not Obfuscation
Unlike absolute majority of .NET protectors Spices.Fortress provides not obfuscation of .NET executables but protection of Windows Forms applications by producing eveluation versions with limited functionality.
- Protection Of Data, Not Code Spices
Fortress protects not executable code but data needed to run the application. In .NET Windows Forms applications data is a link between events and event handlers. The difference between the trial and the registered versions is based on the use of different event handlers for trial and registered versions of the protected application. The trial version uses one set of event handlers, whereas the registered version uses another one.
- Native C# Means
Spices.Fortress uses only native C# means in its protection technique:
- during the process of protection Spices.Fortress only modifies the source code;
- during the execution protected application uses Reflection to restore the protected functionality.
- Native C# Compilation
The protected by Spices.Fortress executable is natively compiled by C# and supports all operating systems which are supported by .NET 2.0.
Hence no compatibility problems arise.
- No External Processing
Spices.Fortress does not apply any external processing (such as packing, encryption or some execution envelope) to the protected executable.
- Key Is Not Checked But Is Used
The protected by Spices.Fortress application does not check Fortress Key for validity in any way. Instead it uses the Key to restore the protected functionality.
- Each Key Contains Personal Data
Fortress Key is a text file. Each Key contains personal data describing owner of this Key. Therefore each Key may be easily identified to prevent fraud.
Version restrictions:
- nag screen
- some features are disabled