WibuKey and Securikey are very close in technology so this demo could be useful for Securikey users. However, though the hardware is similar, these products can take a different track over time, so for now whatever that is seen here that works for Securikey could change over time. If this becomes the case, please let us know.

WibuKey, if you have already seen the CodeMeter tutorial, is very similar in operation to CodeMeter. Sometimes CodeMeter is called "Wibukey on steroids". This does not mean that WibuKey is obsolete or being replaced by CodeMeter. Wibukey is available only to software publishers and licensors and is mainly used to protect software. WibuKeys come in a variety of form factors, the two most popular being LPT and USB devices, with the USB device looking like a thumb drive but not in any way functioning as one. WibuKeys store far less license entries as does a CodeMeter stick and has some limitations in encryption. WibuKeys use an older version. The software and algorithms are being updated, and this product is nowhere near the end of it's lifecycle.

Because WibuKeys are not sold directly to end users but rather come with encrypted software, it's not likely you will have a WibuKey unless you purchased software that is protected by this device. Therefore the chances of being able to program your own licens into a WibuKey for use with Blackbird are low, unless you seek to become a licensor yourself solely for the use of protecting your data online with Blackbird. Though this is possible, CodeMeter is recommended as a better choice for this objective as that product has more to offer an end user.

Therefore, if using existing WibuKeys that come with software, messages encrypted with it will be readable by all those who have a WibuKey with the same license entry. Again, if you are a licensor in possession of a special key needed for making your own licenses in a WibuKey, this key called a Firm Security Box (FSB), you can make custom license entries that nobody else can decrypt. Often the license structure or format of a license entry in a WibuKey is a Firm Code and Product Code seperated by a ":". A license entry in a WibuKey might look like this:

Every computer having a WibuKey runtime installed has a Control Panel applet available for viewing the contents of a WibuKey:

In the WibuKey world, Firm Code 10 is a test Firm Code, and likely not to be seen in the field. It's used here for test purposes. Notice there are other settings in the Control Panel Applet and it's highly recommended not to mess with them unless there is a specific need to.

Even if not a licensor or software publisher, possession of a WibuKey makes you an end user of this product and therefore you can get free support. Tech support can be reached via email in the USA and Europe. In the USA you can also call 1-800-6-GO-WIBU ext.31.

To use WibuKey with Blackbird is simple. On a web page having a Blackbird applet, simply right click on the applet and select the "Encrypt Text for WibuKey" option from the menu that pops up.

This will make a control panel appear that allows you to use the WibuKey (make sure it's plugged in) to create encrypted text entries for adding to a web page. Put the Firm Code of the license entry in the Firm Code field, and related User Code in the User Code field. In this case the license entry being used is 10:777. No, you cannot mix and match. If you see one license entry that says 123:456 and another that says 789:1011, you cannot pick 123:1011. It does not work that way. Add your text in the plain text area and when you click in the button labeled "Generate Encryption Entry", the encrypted text field will show the HTML element entry that Blackbird will use when loading web pages to create the plaintext again.

Copy and highlight the "Complete Cypertext Entry" and put it into your web page or forum/blog post (one that does not filter out HTML). Of course the web page needs the Blackbird applet installed, and only those having a WibuKey with the license entry can decrypt the message.

The information is merely an HTML entry that has the list of values of the encrypted data as a list of numbers. Blackbird will decrypt this when the web page is loaded and the proper WibuKey is pluggged in.

When this is added to a web page and loaded with Blackbird, the entry is decrypted by the attached WibuKey:

And that is how WibuKey is used in Blackbird. Once more, Securikey is lightly tested with the same API as WibuKey, so you should be able to use Securikey with Blackbird, as is currently known.