C O R P O R A T E
Celebrating an anniversary hat trick for Wibu-Systems
1989 . 2003 . 2014 . Some years hold a special place in the history books , some are less remarkable , but all of them are milestones in the story of Wibu-Systems . This year , Wibu-Systems has more than enough reason to celebrate not one , but three anniversaries : The birth of the company , the launch of CodeMeter , and the invention of Blurry Box . Time for a look back at more than three decades of excellence in software protection , licensing , and security .
Twenty years ago , the engineers of Wibu-Systems were preparing for the global launch of CodeMeter , the groundbreaking protection and licensing solution that was set to not just replace its forerunner , WibuKey , but completely remodel both the company ’ s business and the way we approach software licensing . While the first CmSticks may have arrived with less fanfare than peer Google , they did enjoy a brief stint at Karlsruhe ’ s Christmas market . Twenty years later , while the IT world has changed immeasurably , CodeMeter is still going strong and continuing to evolve and lead the way as the premier protection and licensing technology of choice for professionals and as a real business enabler .
Deep roots When its engineers were putting the finishing touches to CodeMeter , Wibu-Systems could already look back on 15 years of excellence in the software protection and licensing field . The two founders , Marcellus Buchheit and Oliver Winzenried , had set out on their mission to revolutionize software licensing at an exciting time in the computing world . The Intel 80486 brought a new level of computing power , VGA graphics were wowing users with their vibrant colors , and Windows 3.0 would soon make GUIs the de-facto standard for end users .
This was the time that opened up computing to a wider audience and set the scene for much of what we now consider our digital reality . But with a new audience also came new threats : Software piracy in particular would turn from a fringe problem to a major burden for the industry in the 1990s . Developers fought back with a creative trick , including one-time pads and other gimmicks . This is where Winzenried and Buchheit – Wi-Bu for short – came in with a truly technical and sustainable solution : WibuKey was born .
WibuKey introduced the basic protection and licensing concept that would later mature into CodeMeter : Licenses using cryptographic key pairs to guarantee security and the proper enforcement of the license terms . A secret key is stored in the license – for much of the company ’ s early life in dongle form , as it still is with CmDongles – and is needed to run the licensed software .
From strength to strength On 16 November 2003 , CodeMeter replaced WibuKey – or almost : True to Wibu-Systems ’ spirit of long-term availability , the company still keeps the legacy system alive in its portfolio even today . But the new protection and licensing star CodeMeter came shooting out of the starting blocks and has not lost any of its original energy since .
Twenty years of constant innovation have ensured CodeMeter ’ s place as one of the pioneering solutions in the markets . Wibu-Systems ’ engineers have constantly increased its capabilities and versatility , while avoiding bloat and keeping the technology sleek and fit for its original mission . The popular range of CmDongle hardware containers has grown to include a myriad of new form factors , including design-award-winning external dongles and powerful ASICs . New types of containers have
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