Sentinel Hardware Key Dumper (ShkDumper) - How to Backup and Emulate Your SHK Device
What is Sentinel Hardware Key Dumper (ShkDumper) and why do you need it?
If you are a software developer or vendor who uses Sentinel Hardware Key (SHK) for software protection and licensing, you might have wondered how to backup your SHK in case of loss, damage, or theft. Or maybe you are a software user who wants to make sure that you can access your licensed software even if your SHK is not available. In either case, you need a tool that can dump the memory of your SHK and create a backup file that can be used to emulate or clone your SHK. That tool is called Sentinel Hardware Key Dumper (ShkDumper), and in this article, we will explain what it is, how it works, and how to use it.
Sentinel Hardware Key Dumper (ShkDumper)l
Sentinel Hardware Key (SHK) - a brief introduction
Before we dive into ShkDumper, let's first understand what a SHK is and why it is used for software protection and licensing.
What is a SHK and how does it work?
A SHK is a hardware device that plugs into a USB port of your computer and acts as a physical key to unlock your software. It contains a smartcard chip that stores encrypted data such as license information, encryption keys, algorithms, and other parameters that are used to verify the authenticity and integrity of your software. When you run your software, it communicates with the SHK through a driver and checks if the data on the SHK matches the data on the software. If they match, the software runs normally; if they don't match, the software stops working or displays an error message.
What are the benefits of using a SHK for software protection and licensing?
Using a SHK for software protection and licensing has several benefits for both software developers and users. Some of these benefits are:
It provides strong security against piracy, reverse engineering, tampering, hacking, and unauthorized use of your software.
It allows you to implement flexible licensing models such as trial, subscription, feature-based, time-based, network-based, etc.
It enables you to control the distribution and activation of your software across different platforms, devices, regions, etc.
It reduces the operational costs and risks associated with software delivery, installation, maintenance, support, etc.
It enhances the user experience by simplifying the license management process and ensuring reliable performance of your software.
What are the challenges of using a SHK for software protection and licensing?
Despite the benefits of using a SHK for software protection and licensing, there are also some challenges that you might face as a software developer or user. Some of these challenges are:
It requires additional hardware and software components that might increase the complexity and cost of your software development and deployment process.
It depends on the availability and functionality of the SHK device, which might be affected by physical damage, loss, theft, malfunction, or obsolescence.
It might cause compatibility issues with different operating systems, platforms, devices, or applications that your software interacts with.
It might limit the flexibility and mobility of your software usage, especially if you need to use your software on multiple computers or locations.
It might create customer dissatisfaction or frustration if they encounter problems with the SHK device or the license activation process.
To overcome these challenges, you need a reliable and convenient way to backup your SHK and ensure that you can access your software without any interruption or hassle. That's where ShkDumper comes in handy.
Sentinel Hardware Key Dumper (ShkDumper) - a free tool to backup your SHK
ShkDumper is a free tool that allows you to dump the memory of your SHK and create a backup file that can be used to emulate or clone your SHK. With ShkDumper, you can backup both the public memory and the protected data of your SHK, depending on your needs and preferences. ShkDumper is compatible with all types of SHK devices, such as Sentinel HL (HASP SRM), Sentinel SuperPro, Sentinel UltraPro, Sentinel Pro, Sentinel Scribe, etc.
What is ShkDumper and what does it do?
ShkDumper is a small executable file that runs on Windows operating system and communicates with your SHK device through a driver. It reads the memory of your SHK device and saves it as a binary file with the extension .bin. The bin file contains all the information that is stored on your SHK device, such as license information, encryption keys, algorithms, parameters, etc. The bin file can be used to emulate or clone your SHK device using a software emulator or a hardware cloner. This way, you can run your software without the original SHK device or use multiple copies of your software on different computers.
How to use ShkDumper to backup your SHK public memory?
The public memory of your SHK device is the part of the memory that is accessible by any software application that uses the SHK device. It contains basic information about your SHK device, such as serial number, model, firmware version, etc. To backup your SHK public memory using ShkDumper, you need to follow these steps:
Step 1: Download and install the original key driver and key dumper
The first step is to download and install the original key driver from the official website of Sentinel. The key driver is a software component that enables your computer to communicate with your SHK device. You can find the latest version of the key driver here: https://sentinelcustomer.gemalto.com/sentineldownloads/. After downloading the key driver, run the installer and follow the instructions to complete the installation.
The next step is to download ShkDumper from our website: https://nodongle.biz/tools/shkdumper/. ShkDumper is a zip file that contains two files: ShkDumper.exe and Readme.txt. You need to extract the zip file to a folder on your computer. You can use any unzip tool such as WinZip or WinRAR to extract the zip file.
Step 2: Run ShkDumper.exe and wait until the process finish
The second step is to run ShkDumper.exe from the folder where you extracted it. You need to have administrator privileges to run ShkDumper.exe. You can right-click on ShkDumper.exe and select "Run as administrator" from the menu. When you run ShkDumper.exe, it will automatically detect your SHK device and start reading its memory. You will see a progress bar on the screen that shows how much data has been read from your SHK device. You need to wait until the process finish and do not disconnect or remove your SHK device during this time.
Step 3: Find and send the Shk--.bin file to support@nodongle.biz or use our contact form to send request
The third step is to find the bin file that ShkDumper created on your computer. The bin file will have a name like Shk--.bin, where - is the serial number of your SHK device. You can find the bin file in the same folder where you extracted ShkDumper.exe. You need to send this bin file to us by e-mail or via our online contact form. You can use the following e-mail address: support@nodongle.biz or you can use this link: https://nodongle.biz/contact/. When you send us the bin file, please include your name, e-mail address, and a brief description of your software and SHK device.
After we receive your bin file, we will analyze it and create a virtual SHK device for you. The virtual SHK device will be a software emulator or a hardware cloner that can replace your original SHK device and run your software without any problem. We will send you the virtual SHK device by e-mail or via our online contact form. You can use the virtual SHK device as a backup or as a duplicate of your original SHK device.
How to use ShkDumper to backup your SHK protected data?
The protected data of your SHK device is the part of the memory that is not accessible by any software application that uses the SHK device. It contains confidential information that is used to encrypt and decrypt your software data, such as encryption keys, algorithms, parameters, etc. To backup your SHK protected data using ShkDumper, you need to follow these steps:
Step 1: Contact us by e-mail or via online contact form
The first step is to contact us by e-mail or via our online contact form and request for a backup of your SHK protected data. You can use the following e-mail address: support@nodongle.biz or you can use this link: https://nodongle.biz/contact/. When you contact us, please include your name, e-mail address, and a brief description of your software and SHK device.
Step 2: We will prepare special tools and send to you to collect extra data
The second step is to wait for our reply. We will prepare special tools and send them to you by e-mail or via our online contact form. The special tools are customized for your specific software and SHK device. They are designed to collect extra data from your SHK device that is needed to backup your SHK protected data. The special tools might include a modified version of ShkDumper.exe, a custom driver, a patcher, a debugger, or other utilities.
Step 3: Send us the collected data and we will create a dump file for you
The third step is to run the special tools on your computer and follow the instructions that we provide. You need to have administrator privileges to run the special tools. You might need to disable your antivirus or firewall software temporarily while running the special tools. You need to wait until the special tools finish collecting the extra data from your SHK device and do not disconnect or remove your SHK device during this time.
After the special tools finish collecting the extra data, they will create a dump file on your computer. The dump file will have a name like Shk---protected.bin, where - is the serial number of your SHK device. You need to send this dump file to us by e-mail or via our online contact form. You can use the same e-mail address or link that you used in step 1.
After we receive your dump file, we will analyze it and create a virtual SHK device for you that includes both the public memory and the protected data of your original SHK device. The virtual SHK device will be a software emulator or a hardware cloner that can replace your original SHK device and run your software without any problem. We will send you the virtual SHK device by e-mail or via our online contact form. You can use the virtual SHK device as a backup or as a duplicate of your original SHK device.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained what Sentinel Hardware Key Dumper (ShkDumper) is and how to use it to backup your Sentinel Hardware Key (SHK) device. We have shown you how to backup both the public memory and the protected data of your SHK device using ShkDumper and our special tools. We have also explained how we can create a virtual SHK device for you that can emulate or clone your original SHK device and run your software without any problem.
We hope that this article has been helpful and informative for you. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us by e-mail or via our online contact form. We are always happy to assist you with your software protection and licensing needs.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about ShkDumper and SHK devices:
Q: Is ShkDumper legal and safe to use?
A: ShkDumper is legal and safe to use as long as you use it for backup purposes only and do not violate any intellectual property rights or license agreements of your software or SHK device. ShkDumper does not harm or modify your SHK device or your software in any way. It only reads the memory of your SHK device and creates a backup file that can be used to emulate or clone your SHK device.
Q: How long does it take to backup my SHK device using ShkDumper?
A: It depends on the type and size of your SHK device, but usually it takes less than a minute to backup your SHK public memory using ShkDumper. To backup your SHK protected data, it might take longer depending on the complexity and security of your software and SHK device. In any case, we will try our best to provide you with the fastest and most efficient service possible.
Q: How much does it cost to backup my SHK device using ShkDumper?
A: ShkDumper is a free tool that you can download and use from our website. However, if you want us to create a virtual SHK device for you that includes both the public memory and the protected data of your original SHK device, we will charge a reasonable fee depending on the type and complexity of your software and SHK device. We will inform you about the exact price before we start working on your request.
Q: What if I lose or damage my original SHK device after I backup it using ShkDumper?
A: If you lose or damage your original SHK device after you backup it using ShkDumper, you can use the virtual SHK device that we created for you to run your software without any problem. The virtual SHK device will act as a replacement for your original SHK device and will have the same functionality and performance. However, we recommend that you keep your original SHK device in a safe place and use it as the primary key for your software whenever possible.
Q: Can I use ShkDumper to backup other types of hardware keys or dongles?
A: ShkDumper is designed specifically for Sentinel Hardware Key (SHK) devices. However, we also provide similar tools and services for other types of hardware keys or dongles, such as HASP, Hardlock, Wibu-Box, Wibu Codemeter, Eutron Smartkey, Dinkey Dongle, Rockey, Marx CryptoBox, Guardant, Microcosm Dinkey, etc. You can visit our website https://nodongle.biz/ to find out more about our products and solutions. dcd2dc6462