How to license the software

Hi,@vitaminchik. Welcome Microsoft Q&A.

To implement licensing or product key validation in your WPF application, you could follow these steps:

Generate License Keys: Create a license key generation system that generates unique license keys for your customers. These license keys should be associated with the specific features or version of your application.

Embed License Key Validation: Within your WPF application, embed the logic to validate the entered license key against the generated license keys. This validation should occur during application startup or when the user tries to activate the application.

Protect Your Code: Obfuscate or protect the parts of your application's code that handle the license key validation to make it harder for potential attackers to bypass the validation mechanism.

Here are some technologies you can use:

Encryption/Hashing: To secure the license keys and prevent tampering, you can use encryption or hashing algorithms to store the license keys securely in your application.

Product Key Generation Library: You could use libraries or code snippets to generate unique product keys for your customers. Ensure that the generation algorithm is robust and difficult to predict.

Remote Licensing Services: If you want server-side validation, you can set up a remote licensing service that handles the license key validation on your server. Your WPF application can then communicate with this service to validate the license keys.

Obfuscation: Use obfuscation tools to make it harder for potential attackers to understand and modify the code responsible for license key validation.

Online Activation: Implement online activation that requires the user to connect to the internet during the activation process. This can further enhance license key validation and prevent reuse of keys.

License Management Libraries: Consider using existing license management libraries for .NET that provide licensing functionality and can save you development time.

Keep in mind that no licensing system can guarantee 100% protection against piracy. However, implementing licensing features can significantly reduce unauthorized usage of your application.

Before implementing licensing, ensure that you understand any legal implications and consider how it may affect your users' experience.

You could also try to refer to the solution here.

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