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Replying To:
And the tools used to enact PA are REALLY Nasty (none / 0) (#3)
by Anonymous User on Thu Sep 11, 2003 at 10:44:22 AM PDT

The real problem though, isn't just the activation process and all it's obvious drawbacks - it's the enforcement code used to make this process work - or not work - remotely.
This code is like game software copy protection.  It tampers with your hard drive headers or worse - and is DESIGNED to make your system crash if it detects abherent behaviour.  Interlok from PACE is but one example.  This abherent behaviour can be yours - e.g modifying some Windows Registry settings dealing with Swap can be interpreted as attempted reverse engineering, so your system will be rebooted.  Ditto if the "protected" application has a bug which crashes it, Interlok will institute a system level reboot because it suspects you're trying to RE again.  The poster with the Symantec trial software repeated reboots is no doubt a sufferer of the latter.
And BTW, PACE offers full call-home features to it's client vendors too - at Product Activation time and/or any time later.  Plus you can never really remove them, short of a reformat... only disable them at best, even after you remove the offendng product.
One way to fight back a little - assuming non-purchase is not an option - is to NOT use the on-line PA, but do it over the phone.  More effort on your part, but also a huge burden on vendor if everyone does it this way.  Plus you then do know what information is being relayed to the vendor.


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