I N F O R M AT I O N
WebSockets
All roads lead to Rome. Some are rocky, some are highways, some byways. The story is similar when it comes to
transferring a license from CodeMeter License Central into a local container via a browser.
In order to transfer licenses via browsers, the
website or, more specifically, a JavaScript on that
website needs to be able to communicate with
the local CodeMeter Service, which guarantees
secure access to CmDongles and handles the
computer-bound CmActLicenses.
Java
The route preferred in the past – Java – has been
made virtually impassable by the aftershocks
of massive security problems. Exploits in Java
allowed malware to be injected into and executed
on the host system. All it took was for the user to
access an infected or deliberately spiked website,
without warning or notification. The perpetrators
had access to complete kits that enabled even
script kiddies to produce viruses and unleash
them into the Java world. Germany’s high-profile
‘federal Trojan” was one such intruder made
from these kits.
ActiveX
Moving beyond Java, CodeMeter allows a route
via ActiveX. Long believed dead and buried,
ActiveX is still a great means of adding browser
functionality, with each element only requiring
one-off consent by the user. However, this route
is only open for users of Windows and Microsoft
Internet Explorer, which narrows the target group
considerably.
Manual File Transfers
It’s all in the mix
The third route relies on file transfers. A license
request file is created on the computer and
uploaded to the server. The license update
is then made available for download to the
computer. This barebones approach is a workable
option even for users of outdated browsers or
users without JavaScript. At the same time, the
necessary manual transfer makes this route one
of the less preferred options for most users.
Have we found the direct route to Rome? No –
it’s all in the mix. The purists among our users
will still see the file transfer as the royal road,
avoiding JavaScript in its entirety. Secure websites
(https) also do not allow access to CodeMeter
WebSockets. Neither does Internet Explorer on
Windows XP and, even though Microsoft has
announced the end of support for Windows
XP in April 2014, CodeMeter will remain active
on many legacy systems. For this reason, the
web interface used for acquiring licenses
(WebDepot) comes with automatic recognition
of the environment and chooses the best possible
transfer option. WebSockets are not the be-alland-end-all, but they are a major part of a fully
rounded online activation portfolio.
New: WebSockets
CodeMeter 5.10 adds a fourth universal route:
WebSockets. The CodeMeter service comes with
a WebSocket server for transferring licenses.
JavaScript in the browser can now communicate
directly with the CodeMeter service without
taking the long route via ActiveX or Java.
This opens up a new highway for all platforms
and all current standard browsers that avoids
the many limitations that come with Java and
ActiveX.
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