[Qgis-developer] Data encryption

[Zoltan Szecsei]

On 2014/01/29 09:59, Alex Mandel wrote:
> On 01/28/2014 10:53 PM, Zoltan Szecsei wrote:
>> Hi List,
>> I have a friend, not in South Africa, who has a need to bundle raster &
>> vector data with a map viewer, so that the entire package can be
>> deployed via a DVD.
>> The catch is that usage of the data bundled with this DVD, needs to
>> expire after 12 months.
>>
>> So, does anyone know of a QGIS based solution - even if it comes with a
>> proprietary encryption module that allows for an expiry date?
>>
>> I'd be curious if anyone has implemented such solution.
>>
>> I also think that there may be a possibility of fee for someone to
>> develop such capability.
>>
>> Regards and thanks,
>> Zoltan
>>
>>
> That's a pretty messed up product I wouldn't go anywhere near. But short
> answer is this isn't a QGIS specific thing it's DRM which the Video Game
> industry has plenty of solutions for, most of which are completely
> circumventable by smart computer users.
>
> Enjoy,
> Alex
Largely my thoughts too - but I didn't think of steering him towards the 
gaming industry.....

Just to narrow down the prejudice a bit, what about a situation where a 
local authority is giving out a specific dataset that needs to be 
current, or at least non-editable?

I expect one could watermark the datasets with a routine that the 
source-code is not available for. This watermark could have multiple 
date-stamps that would "help" in not being able to turn the computer 
clock back - and the data encryption could render it useless for 
anything except the viewer it came with - in QGIS case, the inclusion of 
a hook to the binary subroutine that encrypted (ok, messed up :-) ) the 
data.

Just a thought to stir up some discussion.

Z

-- 

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Zoltan Szecsei PrGISc [PGP0031]
Geograph (Pty) Ltd.
GIS and Photogrammetric Service

P.O. Box 7, Muizenberg 7950, South Africa.

65 Main Road, Muizenberg 7945
Western Cape, South Africa.

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Tel: +27-21-7884897  Mobile: +27-83-6004028
Fax: +27-86-6115323     www.geograph.co.za
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