Expertise from A to Z
Complex terms explained simply – regularly updated
C
Copyright Infringement in the Context of Software Protection and License Management Systems
11.06.2025
Copyright infringement refers to the unauthorized use, duplication, distribution or manipulation of copyrighted software. In the context of software protection, this includes illegal activities such as - Code theft (copying source code without authorization) - License circumvention (use of software without a valid license) - Reverse engineering to create plagiarized copies
Copyrights in cloud-based systems: Definition, protection & future
10.06.2025
Copyrights in cloud-based systems protect software that is provided via cloud infrastructures. They regulate who may use, reproduce or modify digital works - even in SaaS, PaaS or IaaS models. Essentially, it is about enforcing license agreements and preventing piracy in distributed IT environments.
D
Differences between copyright and patenting in software protection
17.06.2025
Copyright protects the specific source code of software as a literary work - automatically upon creation, without registration. Patenting protects technical inventions in software (e.g. innovative algorithms), but requires a complex examination and grants exclusive rights of use for 20 years. In addition, implementations of software protection mechanisms such as anti-debugging, obfuscation and encryption can be used to make unauthorized analysis or copying of the code more difficult.
Digital rights management (DRM) in software protection and license management
09.06.2025
Digital rights management (DRM) comprises technological processes for controlling access, usage and distribution of digital content. In the context of software protection and license management, it is used to protect copyrights through encryption, license keys and access restrictions. DRM prevents unauthorized copies, modifications or distribution of software and digital assets.
F
Feature-based Licensing: flexible and new sales opportunities
15.06.2025
Feature-based licensing refers to a licensing model in which software manufacturers granularly control access to individual functions or modules of their application. Customers do not receive a universal license, but can activate, deactivate or temporarily use specific features as required - often combined with other license types such as subscriptions or pay-per-use.
Floating license (network license): Definition, benefits & future 2025
24.04.2025
A floating license (also known as a network license or concurrent license) is a licensing model in which a limited number of software licenses are shared by several users via a network. A central license server manages availability and issues access tokens on a first-come-first-served basis. 🔑 Key feature: Licenses are not tied to devices or users, but "float" in the network and are assigned dynamically as required
