They'll take my HASP from my cold dead hands

[gcode]

My guess is the Codemeter server either got hacked or compromised and encrypted

I was thinking ransomware.
It would cause total havoc if all those licenses got out into the wild
or for sale on the dark web.. that would be a freakin' catastrophe.

[JParis]

I should be getting new codes any time now but even if I do...I am will not install the temp codes until it's straight.

[champshire]

Can you guys school me on the difference license types? We have the plug in USB hasps here at work. If I need to work at home, I just take it home and use my laptop. Pretty straight forward and easy.

If I read correctly, they have NetHasp and also a software license type? What are those two and how do they work? What are the perks of the non-usb licenses?

If you buy a seat today, can you choose between the three?

[gcode]

A nethasp is a USB hasp plugged into a network server or a PC on the networks.
It can service multiple licenses and PCs connected to the network can get licenses as needed.
Offsite PC's can remote in via VPN and access the licenses.
HASPs are old technology.
My first hasp was a white block the size of a matchbox plugged into an LPT printer port.
They switched to USB hasps about 20 years ago.

The new type of license is a software license produced by Wibu-Systems, a German company. Mastercam has been pushing it for about 10 years now.

The license is a piece of software that resides in your computer... no hasps to deliver, maintain, loose or get damaged.
You can check the licenses in and out as needed, or just leave them on your PC indefinitely depending on your needs.
Checking them in and out requires a connection back to the mothership.

For example, I could check the license on my work PC back in, then check it out at home.
This is superior to a nethasp over VPN, because that requires a constant stable VPN connection.
With the software license, once you've activated it on your PC, it's not dependent on a good internet connection.

The problem this week is that the mothership is down. Any license that was deactivated when the mothership crashed is gone. Licenses cannot be moved from PC to PC, new licenses cannot be issued and licenses cannot be updated
for maintenance renewals and new purchases.
People running old school hasps and nethasps are unaffected by all this.

The mothership has been down a week today.
They started issuing temp licenses via email late Friday to get people with lost licenses back to work.

The story from Mastercam is "hardware failure" and the last official update from Mastercam was late Friday (10/20/23)

I have no idea what happened and have no inside info, but this is starting to smell like a ransomware attack to me.
That is just my personal opinion.
Apparently, there was no backup system in place, which is shocking given the mission critical
nature of the licensing services at the mothership.

[JParis]

and licenses cannot be updated
for maintenance renewals

Yup, just dropped $$,$$$.$$ on maintenance and have not received codes and I am not expecting them at this point anytime  soon...

I too have the suspicion that this was a ransomware attack....too much time for a hardware failure has elapsed for a large "tech" company IMNSHO

[TSmcam]

That sounds like a tough situation.

TS has similar license options, 1) Dongle 2) License File tied to the mac address/hardware 3) Cloud Licensing. There is also a network license working under the function of 2)

I have all three licenses and I prefer the license file (same as how Vericut works).

Cloud licensing is great for flexibility etc, but as what has happened with Mastercam, that is where it can be problematic. Hopefully they resolve it soon for you guys.

[gcode]

Looks like the license server is back up

Dear Customer,

We are happy to inform you that the Mastercam Licensing issue has been resolved. If you are among the very small percentage of users who did activate a license that has a November 15^th expiration, you will need to run the activation wizard again to update the license to reflect the proper expiration date.

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

The Mastercam Team

Updated 10/25/2023 3:30 PM EST

This will be our last update on this issue.

[JParis]

Looks like the license server is back up

I wonder what that cost them

[gcode]

I wonder what that cost them

We'll never know what happened.

[JParis]

We'll never know what happened.

Yeah, very unlikely. Companies are generally loathe to admit they got hit.

[gcode]

Yeah, very unlikely. Companies are generally loathe to admit they got hit.

yes that final statement was about as close to "Shut the fuck up"
as you can get without saying "Shut the fuck up"   

[Jeff]

Bwahahahaha!
#BackUpYourPosts
#BackUpYourWorkspace
#BackUpYourMachineControlDefs
#BackUpYourMachineParameters
#YadaYadaYada

lol for some reason I read that in Antoine Dodson's voice.

#hideyokids
#hideyowife
#andhideyohusband because they ra*in errybody out here.

[gcode]

Submit an enhancement request to install a backup server

and remedial internet security training for all 


My employer contracts with a company that emails us phishing emails and social engineering scams
trying to trick us.
When we get one we're supposed to click on the Phish Alert Report button.
God help the poor soul who falls for one of the trick emails..
They are looking at hours and hours of online classes to attend.


My employer got stuck pretty good last year.
Someone sent an email to HR requesting a Direct Deposit request form, in my name.
It was a completely flaky email address and even flakier email, but HR sent them the form.
It came back and was forwarded to accounting who changed my direct deposits from Wells Fargo to
some bank called MoneyLion. Nobody involved even bothered to call me and ask about it.
A month later Mrs Gcode asked me why we're out of money.
I check it out and they got 2 paychecks + an end of year 130 hour vacation pay cashout.
A third paycheck got stopped with hours to spare.
My employer remibursed me the missing money the same day.
I cannot believe anyone could fall for the ridiculous emails the scammer sent, but they did.

[JParis]

Someone sent an email to HR requesting a Direct Deposit request form, in my name.
It was a completely flaky email address and even flakier email, but HR sent them the form.
It came back and was forwarded to accounting who changed my direct deposits from Wells Fargo to
some bank called MoneyLion. Nobody involved even bothered to call me and ask about it.

They had the same issue here with me as well a couple years back..I actually got a call from our HR Department asking if I had initiated the change....of course I did not but yeah, it happens more than I think some people realize.

[gcode]

They had the same issue here with me as well a couple years back..I actually got a call from our HR Department asking if I had initiated the change....of course I did not but yeah, it happens more than I think some people realize.

I was stunned that HR and Accounting fell for such lame emails.
It was a pretty nice score for whoever pulled it off.