How It Works

Traditional Software Licensing

Software licensing involves verifying the license data within a software product. This license data can be provided either as a license file or through the activation of a license key over the internet. Verification is conducted by cryptographically validating the signature of the license data. To carry out this verification, software vendors need to incorporate cryptographic methods into their software.

Cryptographic digital signatures are generated and transmitted with the license data to the customer. A digital signature is a cryptographic value derived from the data and a secret key that only the signer (software vendor) knows. In the context of software licensing, when customers run the software, it verifies that the license originates from the software vendor and is valid.

Licensing with LicenseDNS

With LicenseDNS, the process of verifying licenses within your software product becomes significantly streamlined, eliminating the need for complex cryptographic methods that can often be cumbersome and difficult to implement. Rather than relying on intricate cryptography embedded within your application, you can leverage the capabilities of DNS servers to handle all necessary cryptographic verification seamlessly and efficiently. Simply by sending a DNS query to any reliable recursive DNS server, you can obtain verified license information with a high degree of confidence, allowing you to focus more on core functionalities of your software.

LicenseDNS is equipped with a specialized DNS server that not only facilitates license verification but also incorporates robust support for DNSSEC (Domain Name System Security Extensions). DNSSEC consists of a series of protocols designed specifically to enhance the authenticity and integrity of DNS data.

By employing DNSSEC, you can be assured that the responses you receive from a DNS lookup are not only genuine but also free from any tampering or unauthorized changes. This level of security is achieved through the use of digital signatures, which are applied to the DNS data. These signatures can be validated by DNS resolvers, ensuring that the information received is consistent and reliable. This added layer of security makes LicenseDNS a powerful tool for license management, providing peace of mind for developers and users alike.

See Getting Started document for information on how to generate licenses and send DNS queries to validate, activate and deactive. LicenseDNS @ GitHub page includes some examples.

Platform and Language Support

Every operating system and programming language is equipped with native support for dispatching DNS queries, as the Domain Name System (DNS) constitutes a fundamental element of internet functionality.

The process of validating licensing has become increasingly straightforward due to the broad consensus and support for sending DNS queries. This widespread acceptance allows organizations to efficiently verify and authenticate licenses within their systems.

By leveraging DNS queries, the necessary information can be obtained quickly and reliably, enabling seamless compliance checks and reducing the potential for unauthorized use of licensed software. This streamlined approach not only enhances security but also simplifies the overall management of licensing, ensuring that users operate within the legal framework while benefiting from the functionalities of the software.