Creative Licensing Solutions for Small Devices

Machine builders or device manufacturers regularly face the challenge of adding license functionalities on small or exceedingly small devices. These classes of devices usually have limited computing power or memory, making it difficult to integrate robust protection and licensing solutions that typically require additional resources on the target device.

One such device in this category is the Variable Frequency Drive or VFD. A Variable Frequency Drive is a motor control device that protects and controls the speed of AC induction motors, serving to optimize energy consumption and extend the lifetime of engines. VFDs are used in applications ranging from small appliances to large compressors. VFDs are also widely used in many critical industrial processes like those found in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

The ARC Advisory Group sees clear business benefits of integration of VFDs into IIoT solutions. For example, they say process industry applications can often benefit from remote management of assets to monitor, control, and/or optimize different components of production equipment controlled by smart, connected VFDs. Potential applications include conveyors or lifts, production machinery for processes, and HVAC systems.

VFDs have been found to provide a tremendous amount of data for managing industrial operations in the IIoT. In ecosystems where data management and predictive analytics capabilities further increase customer value, this connected environment also makes VFD systems more vulnerable due to additional entry points for external attacks.

It is well known now that cybersecurity has become a huge concern in the IIoT. If VFDs are used in critical industrial applications, they can easily become a target of cyber-attacks. ARC notes that “while the frequency of these attacks could be exceedingly small, the potential impact could be huge. For example, cyber-attacks on VFDs could cripple water supplies, power plants, and industrial operations of all types. Clearly, end users, OEM machine builders, and VFD suppliers must take appropriate steps to mitigate future cyber-attacks on VFDs to avert significant physical and financial damage to their operations and personnel injury.”

As noted earlier, license protection and management for these small devices are not always possible. Even our “out-of-the-box” CodeMeter licensing and protection solution, used by thousands of companies worldwide, has limitations, as our conventional tools like CodeMeter Runtime, CodeMeter Embedded, or CodeMeter µEmbedded require resources on the target device. For example, even our smallest solution CodeMeter Embedded requires additional 64 KByte of random access memory for execution of the protected/license software and non-volatile memory for license storage.

In these cases, our Professional Services Team has developed solutions “outside the box” with our customers to overcome these limitations. Through these collaborative efforts we have created solutions using lean custom license files, which are created either with our Custom Licensing Adapter, or with a custom software, using CmDongles as secure anchors. Even custom security algorithms can be implemented in a secure way, utilizing our novel CodeMoving technique. With these customized solutions, machine builders and device manufacturers can achieve secure licensing. The resulting license files are compact and customized to meet specific customer project requirements, while all licenses are centrally managed in CodeMeter License Central.

In more detail, these solutions include:

• Lean signed license file and source code to check licenses at small devices
• Adaptable signature algorithm; usage of existing crypto-libraries possible
• Customizable fingerprint of the device
• On-site license creation with CmDongle
  • Counting created licenses with Unit Counter
  • Customizable security algorithm with CodeMoving
  • Refill with CodeMeter License Central
• Online license creation via Custom Licensing Adapter
  • Tracking each created license
  • Offline delivery via license file
  • Easy license update

If you are working with small devices and would like to learn more about potential licensing solutions, I invite you to view our recorded webinar, Secure License Management for Small Devices: Innovative Approaches and Solutions.