The Wibu-Systems’ world also has its secrets and mysteries – like the Firm Security Box or FSB. The idea of the FSB was born alongside the very first WibuKeys back in 1989 and has stayed with us up to the newest versions of CodeMeter. Any secure license has to be based on cryptography. The standard is for licenses to be signed with their creator’s private key, and the validity of the signature is checked on the user’s side with the fitting public key. However, if the private key ever ends up in the wrong hands, unscrupulous actors would have everything they need to create as many apparently valid licenses as they wish – the worst thinkable outcome. That is why keeping private keys safely locked away is one of the most important jobs for keeping the entire system secure. Compared to other run-of-the-mill licensing systems, Wibu-Systems does not rely on checking the validity of the license alone. With CodeMeter – and to some extent with its predecessor WibuKey since 1989 – every license is given a secret (license) key that is tucked away and kept safe in the license itself. These keys are needed to decrypt the software. Keys are the same for the same license and different for different licenses. A perfect setup, but it requires a secure anchor to create these license keys, which should be considered just as critical as the private signature keys. On top of the licenses, the software itself could be signed to allow it to check its own authenticity, which is particularly helpful for software packages that include applications and libraries that should be able to verify each other. Again, this needs a private signature key – with all the mentioned concerns about their possible loss. To encrypt software, the right license key for the right license is needed, which could be got by creating a fitting license already before one starts the encryption. This is a possible, but rather cumbersome approach, so a solution is needed to give software developers a secure environment in which all license keys are available or at least simulated. And this is where the FSB comes into the picture: It houses the private signature keys and secure anchors for creating licenses and the developer’s own Wibu-Systems licenses.

1. Everything You Always Wanted to
Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid
to Ask
Ruediger Kuegler
VP Sales & Professional Services
Wolfgang Voelker
Director Product Management & Support
All About FSBs
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 1

2. Where to find the accompanying audio
To access the on-demand replay of this masterclass, please visit
www.wibu.com/resources/webinars/2021/all-about-fsb/access
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 2

3. The Firm Code
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4. License Entries
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 License entry = Firm Code | Product Code
 Firm Code: issued by Wibu-Systems
 Product Code:
 Defined by the software vendor
 Per Option / Module / Feature
 4 bn. Product Codes (UInt32)
 Up to 2,000 Product Items per CmContainer
 Product Item Options: Each license can include
combinable options
Firm Code: 6.000.010
…
Product Code: 201.000
Product Code: 201.001
Product Code: 201.002
Product Item Options
Product Item Options
Product Item Options

5. Available Firm Codes
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Firm Code CmDongle CmActLicense
CmCloud-
Container
CmCloudLite-
Container
1xx.xxx
(CmDongle)
Yes - - -
5.xxx.xxx
(CmActLicense)
- Yes - -
6.xxx.xxx
(Universal)
Yes Yes Yes Yes

6. CmFirm.wbc
[WIBU-SYSTEMS Control File]
Guid={00070000-0000-1100-8005-0000C06B5161}
Description=CodeMeter - Licensor's Site Firm Security (CmFirm)
Version=1.00
[FirmLicense 6000947]
Description=Professional Service
Text=Professional Service
Security=2
Type=4
FK=0123456789ABCDEF0123456789ABCDEF0123456789ABCDEF…
Crc=59707
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 6

7. The Firm Security Box
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8. Firm Security Box
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 8
 “Master Dongle”
 Cryptographic key for
 Creation of license entries
 License signature
 Software encryption
 Software signature
 Available Options
 Standard FSB
 Encryption Only FSB

9. Key for Encryption /
Decryption
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 9

10. Protection of the Software Creation of the License
User
Process Overview
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 10
Software Software
Protection
Suite
ERP
CRM
E-commerce
License
Central
==
 Firm Code
 Product Code
 Encryption Key
 Firm Code
 Product Code
 Decryption Key

11. Key Derivation
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Firm
Code
Product
Code
Feature
Code
Release
Date
Feature
Map
Maintenance
Period
Encryption
Code
Enc. Code
Options
SHA 256 AES
Product Item
Secret Key
Data
Data
Firm
Code
Product
Code
== == & >=
…
…

12. FSB Entries
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13. Evaluation FSB – Firm Code 6000010
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Key Store
License

14. Text, Feature Bits, and Certificates
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Text
Feature Bits
Certificate

15. Keys
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Licensor Transfer Key
Licensor Private Key
Firm Key
Firm Root Key
Certificates

16. License Entries
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17. License Models
 License per CmContainer
 +Trial Licenses
 +Protection Only Licenses
 License per Transaction
 +Trial Licenses
 +Protection Only Licenses
 Unlimited Licenses (Annual Flat Fee)
 Including Trial Licenses and Protection Only Licenses
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18. License per CmContainer
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Key Store
License

19. Details of a License Entry
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Amount of Licenses
Territorial Protection
Customer ID

20. License per Transaction
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Key Store
License

21. Trial License
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Key Store
License

22. Unlimited License
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Key Store
License

23. Encryption Only FSB
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 23
Key Store

24. License Renewals
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25. License Renewals – https://license.wibu.com
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 25

26. CodeMeter SDK Tools
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27. CodeMeter SDK Tools
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Licenses

28. IP Protection FSB
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Key Store
License

29. Best Practice Scenarios
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30. Best Practice Scenarios
 Single Developer
 One standard FSB
 Company with Continuous Integration
 One or multiple Encryption Only FSB(s) at automatic build farm
 One standard FSB at CodeMeter License Central
 Company with high amount of license transactions
 Encryption Only FSB(s) for build system
 One standard FSB for every CodeMeter License Central line
 One spare standard FSB for all lines as fail-over
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 30

31. Delivery Options
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32. Delivery Options
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 32
 CmDongle
 CmDongle via CmWAN for
CodeMeter Protection Suite
(newly available)

33. CmDongle via CmWAN for CodeMeter Protection Suite
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 33
API Interfaces
CodeMeter
Runtime Service
CmWAN Server in Wibu Cloud DevOps / Azure Pipeline / …
TCP/IP | Port 443 CodeMeter
Runtime Service
CodeMeter Protection Suite
Reverse
Proxy Digest Authentication
(username / password)

34. Delivery Options
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 34
 CmDongle
 CmDongle via CmWAN for
CodeMeter Protection Suite
(newly available)
 CmCloudContainer (Q4/2021,
Universal Firm Code only)

35. https://www.wibu.com
info@wibu.com
Europe: +49-721-931720
USA: +1-425-7756900
China: +86-21-55661790
Japan: +81-45-5659710
Thank you very much for your attention
2021-04-21 © WIBU-SYSTEMS AG 2021 – Everything You Always Wanted to Know About FSBs – But Were Afraid to Ask 35