Future Technology Devices International’s ActiveX software control, SafeGuard-IT, together with the hardware-based FTDIChip-ID feature, provides a software security dongle capability. Such features are available when used together with FTDI’s FT232R USB UART and FT245R USB FIFO ICs. The FTDIChip-ID is a unique 32-bit number that is burned into the IC device during manufacture. This ID is then readable over a connected USB port and forms the basis of a security check to prevent use of unlicensed copies of application software.

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An asymmetric cryptography technique, using both public and private keys, is incorporated into the SafeGuard-IT control. Encrypted information based on the FTDIChip-ID, the private key and an optional password is programmed back into the IC’s integrated EEPROM. This provides an easy-to-deploy method of software protection with a high level of security. With this approach, software packages protected by SafeGuard-IT need only be compiled once and can then be distributed with just two additional files to decrypt the information, the public key and the SafeGuard-IT DLL. The SafeGuard-IT control is available for free download at http://www.ftdichip.com/Projects/SafeGuard-IT.htm.