Adobe Systems: How NOT to do demo security

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
> Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2003 12:46:37 -0800 (PST)
> From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
> Subject: Adobe Systems: How NOT to do demo security
> To: dave () farber net
> Cc: lauren () vortex coma.
>
>
> Dave,
>
> With so many software firms offering "demo" versions of their
> packages these days, I wanted to pass along this example of
> how *not* to do demo security.
>
> I was recently asked to evaluate for review the latest version
> of Adobe Systems' "Premiere" video editing package ("Premiere Pro").
> My last contact with Premiere is my registered copy of their
> old Premiere 4.2 package.  Installing their supposedly almost
> full-featured 30 day demo seemed like a reasonable alternative
> to a full upgrade which I couldn't justify buying at this point.
>
> For a few hours, I had a glimpse of what looked to be a fine
> product.  Unfortunately, at that point I noticed that an NTP
> server problem had thrown off the clock on the installed system.
> So I set the clock back to the correct value.  Big mistake.
>
> The Premiere Pro demo immediately declared its 30 day usage period
> had expired -- only 29 days ahead of schedule!  Since the demo
> had apparently scribbled "who knows what" around the system and
> registry, attempts to clear the problem or reinstall the demo
> of course failed.
>
> Adobe's response?  "You're out of luck!"  Their suggestions
> were to try install on a different machine (I don't have another
> suitably configured XP system available) or "reformat your disk"
> (uh, I don't think so...)
>
> It is certainly expected that the security modules of demo packages would
> take reasonable steps to avoid demo abuse.  But when a minor clock
> correction triggers a demo's "self-destruct" mechanism (and of course,
> there were no prior warnings about this) it at least suggests poor design,
> and Adobe's response suggests a less than enlightened view of customer
> relations.  So it looks like Premiere Pro will remain a question mark
> to me for now!
>
> If you're going to provide demos, at least do it right.
>
> --Lauren--
> Lauren Weinstein
> lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () privacyforum org
> Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
> http://www.pfir.org/lauren
> Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
> Co-Founder, Fact Squad - http://www.factsquad.org
> Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
>                      Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
> Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
> Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy

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