Software locks: Difference between revisions
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Software locks are security measures used to control access & features in consumer electronic hardware & software. <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lock_(computer_science)</ref> <ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_open-source_and_closed-source_software</ref> Software locks by themselves are not considered bad practice and are necessary for basic cyber security and operation of most hardware, however, abuse of them will be recorded in the following sections. | |||
==Noteworthy bad practice examples== | |||
=== | |||
===Anti Interoperability=== | |||
Also see: [[wikipedia:Proprietary_protoco|Proprietary protocols]], [[Anti Interoperability]], [[Hardware Anti Interoperability]]<ref>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_hardware? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proprietary_hardware?]</ref> | |||
wip stub example you can't use our competitors Bluetooth headset with our XYZ operating system because we invented a our own new proprietary XYZ Bluetooth audio codec and that product doesn't support it. | wip stub example you can't use our competitors Bluetooth headset with our XYZ operating system because we invented a our own new proprietary XYZ Bluetooth audio codec and that product doesn't support it. | ||
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apple's history of anti-Interoperability | apple's history of anti-Interoperability | ||
===Account-required products=== | |||
=== | |||
===== | =====Mobile phones===== | ||
[https://pirg.org/articles/refurbishers-repairers-and-recyclers-call-on-the-fcc-to-stop-phone-software-locks/ ref] Small preamble focused on how mobile phones require an account in order to be used, reference Google Pixels and specific Android devices requiring a Google account, and iPhones needing an Apple account. | |||
===== in appliances ===== | =====in appliances===== | ||
hvac app activation of furnace control boards (also an example of [[Forced app download]] (editors note hard to find credible ref this is a thing with ruud furnace control boards) ) | hvac app activation of furnace control boards (also an example of [[Forced app download]] (editors note hard to find credible ref this is a thing with ruud furnace control boards) ) | ||
====Binding hardware features to non-transferable user accounts / activation & licensing locks==== | ====Binding hardware features to non-transferable user accounts / activation & licensing locks<!-- This needs a much shorter name -->==== | ||
-wip | -wip | ||
===Server connectivity reliance=== | |||
Also see: [[Subscription service]], [[Digital rights management]] | |||
-wip | -wip | ||
==Further reading / also see== | |||
[[Digital rights management|DRM (digital right managment)]] | |||
[[wikipedia:Comparison_of_open-source_and_closed-source_software|Proprietary Software]] | |||
[[Walled garden]] / [[Software Ecosystem]] | |||
[[Bootloader unlocking]] | |||
[[wikipedia:Proprietary_firmware|Proprietary firmware]] | |||
<references /> | <references /> | ||
Latest revision as of 06:05, 29 January 2025
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Software locks are security measures used to control access & features in consumer electronic hardware & software. [1] [2] Software locks by themselves are not considered bad practice and are necessary for basic cyber security and operation of most hardware, however, abuse of them will be recorded in the following sections.
Noteworthy bad practice examples[edit | edit source]
Anti Interoperability[edit | edit source]
Also see: Proprietary protocols, Anti Interoperability, Hardware Anti Interoperability[3]
wip stub example you can't use our competitors Bluetooth headset with our XYZ operating system because we invented a our own new proprietary XYZ Bluetooth audio codec and that product doesn't support it.
real example apple mfi certifications on charging and data transfer accessories
apple's history of anti-Interoperability
Account-required products[edit | edit source]
Mobile phones[edit | edit source]
ref Small preamble focused on how mobile phones require an account in order to be used, reference Google Pixels and specific Android devices requiring a Google account, and iPhones needing an Apple account.
in appliances[edit | edit source]
hvac app activation of furnace control boards (also an example of Forced app download (editors note hard to find credible ref this is a thing with ruud furnace control boards) )
Binding hardware features to non-transferable user accounts / activation & licensing locks[edit | edit source]
-wip
Server connectivity reliance[edit | edit source]
Also see: Subscription service, Digital rights management
-wip
Further reading / also see[edit | edit source]
Walled garden / Software Ecosystem