WITHDRAWN: Product key activation for software products using Collatz Conjuncture and asymmetric key cryptography

Abstract

Abstract Nowadays, almost all software products are sold online. But there is a danger of unauthorized users using the product. For this reason, every company employs a product activation system where only authorized users that have a unique key called the product key can use the application. But attackers always find a way to get past the authorization. For example, they use a key generator that generates a random key that matches the format of the product key and can be used to activate the product. Therefore, to avoid this, we need improved product activation programs that can safeguard the product from unauthorized users. This paper proposes an improved key verification system to make sure that the product can be used on one system only. Every system has a unique MAC address, and that's what we use as the foundation for our method. The main contribution of this work is the effective use of a system's MAC address, which in turn boosts the security of the project. The necessary procedure consists of retrieving a MAC address from the user's system. Now, a serial key is derived by performing specific operations on the MAC address, which is then converted into a more straightforward, user-friendly product key while encryption and decryption take place during the transmission of keys between client and server. Looking ahead, this work can lead to better and consistent use of MAC addresses in key generation techniques, which is something that hasn't been explored enough.