"Machine specific ID - Machine fingerprint"

Can't find the post that asked about this.....

[vkaryl]

which is kind of too bad, because tonight I got "proof" of a sort that this might be possible.

I installed a trial version of a menu program. In the "this is a x-day trial version, you have x days remaining" sort of screen was a box with "Machine fingerprint" and the number CF80-B66E. Now admittedly, I don't offhand know of anything in or on my machine with that number. So not sure where they got this number, or if it refers to anything else.

Ideas, anyone?

[jollymcfats]

It's almost certainly something they made up.

The typical strategy for this sort of thing is to make a hash of from either the current low-level hardware configuration and/or the network card's link-level MAC address.

A hash based on the MAC address used to be used alot to enable node-lock licenses for big-ticket software packages.

In any case, you need native code to probe the hardware for the goods. Re: the id thread, this can't be done from Javascript or anything webish.

[vkaryl]

Interesting. Thanks for the explanation, jollymcfats. It wasn't a "worried about exposure" thing, I have so many walls in place it's not a problem. AND I bought the program so it wasn't that either - I ALWAYS pay for software I use, no matter how much it costs (and this one's so cheap I think someone ought to tell them they need to factor for inflation).

It was just something I hadn't ever run across before....

[kwngian]

It could also be your hard drive's serial number.

[vkaryl]

kwngian: nope. First thing I checked, along with all of the multitudinous other numbers in/on/around all of the hardware/peripherals/firmware/software/bios, etc etc ad infinitum ad nauseam on this machine....

I have a list 50+ lines long of numbers pertaining to stuff on this box....

[Noisehag]

Hi V, most certainly a created ID. It is based off a number of components in your system. Serial from CPU and hard drive are the ones I am aware of. There are probably more however.

I run a program called Everest (for in-depth system information) which can detect serial numbers, manufacturer, speeds, temps, statistics, etc., even before you install any drivers. This is the method I use to re-format friend/family computers when they misplace their original drivers. Makes it very easy to locate drivers online.

Nothing to worry about, just another clever way to stick the software installation to a single machine.