StarForce Guide
Protection of PDF and other electronic documents
Protection of documents means securing the files from unauthorized access, copying, printing and illegal distribution. The service allows the client to monitor the use of the protected file copies. An electronic PDF document is encrypted and "tied" to a Viewer program which is also protected from analysis and reverse engineering. A user needs a Serial Number or a Disc Key (in case of distribution on optical discs) to view a protected PDF document.
Launch Menu
It is used to run a package of protected files. The package may contain up to several thousands of files, for example, in case when a protected eBook has thousands of pages. The Launch Menu can display one or several files from the protected file package. In case the protected files package is a book, the Launch Menu can display the table of contents, giving the user access to the entire document.
For more details please watch this video
Protection of video and audio files
Securing files intended for playback on personal computers, from copying, illegal distribution and unauthorized use. The supported formats are mp3, ogg, wma, wav, avi, mpg, wmv, etc. Media files are encrypted
Protection of audio files (mp3, ogg, wma, wav, etc.) and video files (avi, mpg, wmv, etc.) intended for playback on personal computers and dvd-video files intended for playback on multimedia devices (players) against copying, illegal distribution and unauthorized use. Media files are encrypted and "tied" to the Player that is also protected from analysis and reverse engineering. A user needs a Serial Number to view the protected media files.
Legal aspects of information protection
Legal requirements for information protection vary. This depends on the nature of the information itself and on how the information is being used. Information can be confidential (for example, commercial secrets, personal data) or can be copyrighted. Hence, the methods and features of information protection differ: in some cases information needs to be protected against unauthorized access; in other cases there’s a requirement to limit distribution and fight piracy.
Protection of confidential information
Every electronic document or a media file can contain confidential information. StarForce Content provides not only security, but also copyright protection and document tracking. For details on confidential information protection and document protection tools, see How to protect valuable information: customer bases, price lists, etc. against leakage.
What kind of files can be protected
Almost all formats of electronic documents and media files can be protected.
StarForce Content provides:
- eBook copy protection
- PDF files protection
- MS PowerPoint (PPT, PPTX) presentations copy protection
- MS Word (DOC, DOCX, RTF) office documents protection
- HTML files protection
- eLearning course copy security and protection
- Educational programs protection
- audio file protection (MP3, OGG, WMA, WAV, etc.)
- video file protection (AVI, MPG, WMV,etc.)
Presentation protection
Securing PPT and PPT presentations from unauthorized viewing, uncontrolled distribution and illegal copying. Electronic PPT and PPTX documents are encrypted and "tied" to a Viewer program, which is also protected from analysis and reverse engineering. A user needs a Serial Number or a Disk Key (in case of distribution on optical discs) to open a protected PPT or PTTX presentation.
File protection against illegal copying and unauthorized access
Securing electronic documents and media files from nauthorized viewing, uncontrolled distribution and illegal copying. To view a protected file, a user needs a Serial Number or a Disc Key (in case of distribution on optical discs).
Activation
When an end-user runs the protected file on his or her computer for the first time, it is necessary to enter a Serial Number. The information about this activation as well as data about the user’s PC-specific hardware and software configuration are sent to StarForce DRM. This is the way the Serial Number ties the protected file to the PC configuration.
Disc key
A key used to open or run the files with disc binding. The Disc Key stores the physical parameters of the optical disk the protected files are distributed on.
Disc validation
A service that checks if the extracted Disc Key matches the disc parameters.
PC binding
Protection method based on the integration of direct or indirect links to the computer software/hardware, into a protected file.
Disc binding
Protection method based on the integration of direct or indirect links to a physical media license (optical disc), into the protected file.
StarForce Reader
Software developed by StarForce to view protected PDF files and other electronic documents on various platforms.
StarForce Audio/Video Player
Software developed by StarForce to view protected media files.
Project
A Project is the access to the service for protecting files and generating Serial Numbers and reports. If you protect several files within a project, you can use the same serial number to open them.
In some tutorials, you can still see the term Workspace, which had been previously used instead of Project.
Serial Number
A unique identifier used to open protected files. Serial Numbers contain the license parameters of the protected file.
Number of protections
This parameter specifies how many times a client can perform a protection operation in the Project.
End-user
A user who will use protected files.