Activation by file ?

Vincèn

Hi

Having got some issues to activate my first licence on my prototype device, is there a way to activate licence by copying a file on the SD card with activation code or something like that ? easier than having to put your Emteria credentials in it or copying by hand the activation code on each device !!

Thanks for ideas

Vincèn

kalkov

We are aware of the fact that the current process isn't very user friendly for frequent re-installations. We are currently working on the simplification, but we are not yet sure how exactly it will work.

There is a possibility to activate a device via the local network by using a bash or powershell script, but it is only available to our business customers for now.

Vincèn

@kalkov said:
We are aware of the fact that the current process isn't very user friendly for frequent re-installations. We are currently working on the simplification, but we are not yet sure how exactly it will work.

Why not allow an activation by file ?? On website you buy a licence, you can then download a file of that licence that you copy at a specific place on the SD. When the device boots, if it detects it's still not activated, look for that file and then activate the licence. Simple and easy no ?

BasicItStuff

And then I copy the file again and send it to 2 friends, those 2 friends also copy the file and both send it to 2 friends and so one and after a day the whole world had a free license of Emteria and then it all ends? Not really what you want if you want to see more fixes and more development.

Vincèn

@BasicItStuff said:
And then I copy the file again and send it to 2 friends, those 2 friends also copy the file and both send it to 2 friends and so one and after a day the whole world had a free license of Emteria and then it all ends? Not really what you want if you want to see more fixes and more development.

Correct me if I'm wrong but a licence once activated one time is tied to a specific hw no ? so even if I put the licence on Internet no one will be able to use it out of me that has hw linked to it no ?

BasicItStuff

That would work. Just typing a username and password would also work, you would need one free USB port for a USB keyboard

Vincèn

@BasicItStuff said:
That would work. Just typing a username and password would also work, you would need one free USB port for a USB keyboard

Username and password for what ? more boring than just copying a file on each SD when you have multiple devices to activate

kalkov

Downloading and copying the license file (after the device was activated) is exactly what our bash/powershell scripts do. I understand this is very handy for users with a bunch of different devices without a physical access to them. We are currently extending our SetupWizard for automatic (re-)activation during the device provisioning. But while it will be definitely available for businesses, I am not sure this is a valid use case for a normal user.

Standard procedure:
1) Use the installer
2) Put the sdcard into the Pi
3) Enter username & password

Suggested procedure:
1) Use the installer
2) Download the license file from our website
3) Put the sdcard into a PC and copy the license
4) Put the sdcard into the Pi
5) Let the OS detect the file and use it

Even if we assume that the license has to be downloaded only once per activated device, and we omit our internal development overhead for the 5th step, it is still questionable whether the new step 3 is that much easier to perform.

Vincèn

@kalkov said:
Suggested procedure:
1) Use the installer
2) Download the license file from our website
3) Put the sdcard into a PC and copy the license
4) Put the sdcard into the Pi
5) Let the OS detect the file and use it

Even if we assume that the license has to be downloaded only once per activated device, and we omit our internal development overhead for the 5th step, it is still questionable whether the new step 3 is that much easier to perform.

A lot easier as it means you can keep a ready to burn image of the sdcard for new products, you copy it to a new SD, then copy in it at the correct place licence file, and then you just need to put the SD card in your new device that'll be automatically activated at first time it gets internet connection and done

kalkov

new device that'll be automatically activated at first time it gets internet connection

I agree, but this is not exactly what I meant.
We need to differentiate between

a) Activation of new devices
b) Re-activation of existing devices

While I was talking about (b), you seem to mean (a). This is also possible, but to be completely honest, it may turn out to be a huge security issue. Let's assume a user can download a file, which grants access to his licenses on the server. If this file is leaked to the public, unauthorized users can activate their devices at the expense of the license's owner. It will be quite difficult to revoke that file later on, as it would prevent legitimate users from activating already purchased devices. The file can be encrypted/protected by a password, but in this case it still requires user interaction during the setup wizard.

I like the general idea and we would implement it if there is a secure way for unattended activations.

Vincèn

@kalkov said:
I agree, but this is not exactly what I meant.
We need to differentiate between

a) Activation of new devices
b) Re-activation of existing devices

While I was talking about (b), you seem to mean (a). This is also possible, but to be completely honest, it may turn out to be a huge security issue. Let's assume a user can download a file, which grants access to his licenses on the server. If this file is leaked to the public, unauthorized users can activate their devices at the expense of the license's owner. It will be quite difficult to revoke that file later on, as it would prevent legitimate users from activating already purchased devices. The file can be encrypted/protected by a password, but in this case it still requires user interaction during the setup wizard.

I like the general idea and we would implement it if there is a secure way for unattended activations.

Thanks for your clarifications and so here is general idea I would see it implemented:
-> For each licence you buy, you can download a file from the emteria website (that file can include basically just the licence number.
-> If you want automatic activation, you copy that file in a specific place on SD card once burnt with the installer.
-> When emteria boots and if it's not yet registered it looks for that file. If it finds it, it tries to activate it using licence number included into file and contact Emteria server. 2 possibilities: licence already activated for a different device (so activation is cancelled and file deleted on SD as it's not a valid licence for device), or licence not yet activated or activated already for that device then it'll activate it and register it on Emteria server.

If my account is compromised, only non activated licences if I have some in my account can be used. All already activated licences can't be used for nothing out of reactivating licences on devices they have been registered already so not much risk !

What do you think about it this way ?

kalkov

Interesting, it is certainly easier and more secure to implement this for a single device only (instead of a key, which grants access to all licenses).

I think this can be simplified to saving the activation code (maybe even as plain text, since it doesn't contain any important information) to the device. We already save a user-specific JSON-formatted configuration to the device, so there is a good chance we can simply extend it with additional data.

Vincèn

@kalkov said:
Interesting, it is certainly easier and more secure to implement this for a single device only (instead of a key, which grants access to all licenses).

Yep in all matters I don't see the point to get one file with all licences in it ! Easier to be able to download one file per licence (basically as you quoted containing only the licence number and that's it !).