- 1). Copyright your software. Although you already own the copyright for any software you produce, registering it with the U.S. Library of Congress' Copyright Office affords you additional legal protection should it be pirated. Unauthorized distribution of software that's protected by a registered copyright results in stiffer civil penalties and, in some cases, criminal charges against the offender.
- 2). Use a key-generating algorithm like KeyGen or Password Generator. A handful of applications exist to create and check access keys affixed to software purchases. Legitimate key codes allow for a single installation of the software, while pirated copies, or those using previously accessed key codes, are locked out at the installation phase.
- 3). Create fixed-term licenses. Instead of providing users with a lifelong license to your software, a fixed-term key provides additional controls against piracy. Pirated copies are only good until the expiration of their licensing period, at which time pirates must either license the software legitimately or abandon their stolen copy.
- 4). Join a trade group such as the Business Software Alliance that works to protect copyrights for developers. These professional organizations actively seek out pirates in the name of their members, often offering whistle-blowers a financial reward for identifying employers who use stolen software.
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