Digital roadie: Wibu-Systems’ CodeMeter providing protection power for Disguise’s event design software

Wibu-Systems, the protection and licensing specialists from Germany, have come to the big stage: Disguise, makers of the world’s first integrated event production system, has chosen CodeMeter to protect the IP behind their software and add licensing and protection power to their users’ creative output. With Disguise providing some of the essential technology behind such fan favorites as the Eurovision Song Contest or the stage shows of celebrities like Madonna, CodeMeter has truly made its way to the stars.

Modern stage shows have become big business in every sense of the word. From expo presentations or corporate events to the spectacle of music festivals or Las Vegas shows: The sheer amount of work and the assets involved in making them possible is there for all to see, feel, and hear. What is less obvious to the regular live concert afficionado or theatregoer are the massive intangible assets that are invested for the same purpose. From songs or visuals with their carefully managed copyrights to the show designs, intricate visual productions, and sophisticated workflows, invaluable IP and months of work are invested long before the curtain drops. And for many of the professionals involved, their tool of choice is provided by Disguise, the newest iteration of the integrated production system originally developed by London’s United Visual Artists, now with the added security of CodeMeter protection and licensing system. With Disguise Designer as the multitool for creating shows and many specialized products e.g. the integrated controlling of Unreal Engine graphics in shows, Disguise’s solution is sophisticated, powerful, and always at risk of IP theft and tampering.

Disguise chose to integrate CodeMeter deep into its solution. The backbone of CodeMeter licensing, the Firm Security Box, is integrated right into the build server and encrypts every build in the often lengthy and iterative creative process, going back and forth between tech experts, design specialists, and the actual artists themselves before anything ever hits the stage. Once things are ready and waiting for their audience, the show professionals have a choice of either hardware CmDongle or software CmActLicense containers to get their licenses out into the field and activate the showstopping features of Disguise’s software.

But the protection goes even further than that: The shows created by designers are also license-protected to prevent tampering, copying, and use on non-Disguise hardware. Users can produce their shows on Disguise Designer, which is then watermarked and can be brought over to Disguise hardware for the real live experience.

With the added certainty that the IP built into their software and hardware is safe, the integration of CodeMeter also means that Disguise can embrace rental business models with more confidence, as third-party providers can supply the sophisticated and expensive Disguise hardware to event designers on demand. Equipment rental is already a well-established option in the industry, but the licensing built into Disguise’s technology now offers more security on multiple fronts: Not only is the software running on the Disguise hardware protected with CodeMeter’s unrivalled encryption and the works of end users safely watermarked to ensure copy protection, CodeMeter also ensures that users can only access the correct, tamper-proof configurations and can easily order license renewals and upgrades. As the long success of Disguise in the industry results in countless versions of its software and hardware, including legacy versions, out in the field and in active operation, Wibu-Systems’ technology brings some real peace of mind for Disguise and their user worldwide base.

James Bentley, Head of Software Engineering at Disguise confirms “We develop the software that the designers and producers of live events use to design their shows. Thanks to CodeMeter, we’re always sure that they use the correct configuration. Tampering just isn’t possible. The same goes for selling upgrades, which is very easy with CodeMeter. This all provides peace of mind, and we know that our intellectual property isn’t at risk.”

Marcel Hartgerink, General Manager of WIBU-SYSTEMS LTD in Taunton, UK, is excited about being in the company of some of the world’s top celebrities, even if indirectly: “It is great to know that when you go and see a chart-topping star live on stage or get wowed by the unbelievable production values of some modern expo shows, CodeMeter has done its bit to keep the magic of Disguise’s solution and the creative work of their users safe.”