Desktop Applications · IoT Devices · Critical Infrastructure

Licensing for desktop
apps and IoT devices

Sentinel decides who, on which device, and to what extent can run a protected application or device - cryptographically unforgeable, offline-first, with a full audit trail of every operation.

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Military
grade cryptography
Offline‑first
Always works
60+
Audited operations
<50ms
License verification

Trusted by

Four questions every desktop
software and hardware maker asks

How do I know this license is genuine?

Sentinel signs every license with a unique cryptographic key. Forgery is computationally infeasible. The server rejects any request that fails verification.

How do I bill licenses when a key circulates between people?

The license is bound to a device and a seat count. The system enforces the session limit and automatically evicts excess sessions.

What if your client goes offline in a critical moment?

Sentinel is offline-first. A 7-day grace period plus a break-glass mode for production lines, remote infrastructure, or critical operations.

Who did what, and when, with this license?

An immutable log of every operation: activation, revocation, key rotation, break-glass - with actor, IP, and full context.

How it works

Every license request is confidential, single-use, and cryptographically bound to a specific device - impossible to forge or intercept.

1
End-to-end encryption
Every exchange between the app and the server is encrypted with a unique key generated for that single message. An intercepted message is useless.
2
Cryptographic signature
Every request is signed with the device's unique key. The server verifies authenticity before processing anything - forged requests are rejected instantly.
3
Replay protection
Every operation is single-use and timestamped. An intercepted and replayed request is automatically rejected - replay attacks are impossible.
4
Two-way verified response
The server responds with the same level of security. The client app rejects a forged response before processing it.

A complete licensing infrastructure

One system handles it all - Windows/macOS/Linux desktop apps and IoT devices, from a single site to an entire enterprise fleet.

🔐
Offline-first + break-glass
A 7-day grace period without a connection. Single-use emergency codes for critical situations. Heartbeat once connectivity is restored.
Critical environments
🔑
Zero-downtime key rotation
The new security key becomes valid before the old one expires. Rotation happens in the background - no active session is interrupted.
Zero downtime
📦
Content protection
Protected files and data are encrypted with a key generated once per session. An intercepted copy is useless - the key is never stored.
Per-session · No trace
⚙️
Consistency at every step
Revoking a license instantly closes all active sessions and deactivates emergency codes - in one atomic operation, with no possibility of an inconsistent state.
Atomic operation
📋
Immutable audit log
60+ critical operations with actor, IP, and context. Designed with security audits in mind.
Security audit
🔗
Two integration models
A direct model with the highest security level, or a bridge to existing login systems (SSO, Active Directory). Every client gets their own variant.
SSO · Active Directory
🏷️
Feature flags and entitlements
Per-module permissions in a single license. Turn product features on or off without a new release. Tiered pricing with no code changes.
No releases needed
📊
Usage analytics
Real-time license activity dashboard. Identify unused seats, peak usage, and renewal patterns. Ready-made data for the sales team.
Real-time
🖥️
Runs on every platform
Native libraries for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Integration in a single business day - no lengthy rollouts.
Windows · macOS · Linux
🧪
Trial licenses
Trial licenses with automatic expiry, a launch counter, or feature restrictions. Convert to full with a single API call.
Time-limited · Feature-gated
🛒
Self-service portal
Customers transfer a license to a new machine, renew, or check history - without contacting support. A dedicated portal link, branded for the manufacturer.
Self-service
🔒
GDPR compliant
Processes only license metadata - zero sensitive business or customer data. DPIA-ready, data processing agreements, data hosted in the EU (Frankfurt).
EU data residency

Connects to your ecosystem

Sentinel connects to the manufacturer's sales systems, CRM, and IT infrastructure - without lengthy rollouts.

GDPR EU data residency 99.95% SLA
StripeOnline payments
WooCommerceWebsite store
Salesforce / CRMSales pipeline
SAP / ERPEnterprise orders
Active Directory / SSOCorporate login
REST APICustom integration
Event notificationsReal-time alerts
MES / SCADA / HISIndustrial & Medical systems

Sentinel vs standard licensing solutions
for desktop applications

Challenge Standard approach Sentinel
License authenticity Text key / serial - easy to copy Cryptographic signature - computationally impossible to forge
Communication confidentiality Network-level encryption only End-to-end encryption of every message with an integrity signature
Protection against interception No protection Every operation is single-use - an intercepted request is useless
Offline operation The application stops working Offline-first + grace period + emergency codes
Protection of protected files Key embedded in the app - vulnerable to extraction Key generated per session, never stored
Audit trail Plain application logs - editable Immutable log of 60+ operations with full context
Key rotation Downtime / reinstall at the customer's site Automatic background rotation, zero downtime
Managing product features Requires a new software release Turn features on and off without an app update
Customer-driven license transfer Contacting support Self-service portal - 3 clicks, no waiting

A solution for every scale

From a small team to a large enterprise - Sentinel adapts to your organization's structure.

Micro
Indie Devs / Startups
1–3 active seats. Activation in 2 minutes, key bound to the device.
  • Per-seat license (1–3)
  • Sentinel license server
  • 7-day offline operation without a connection
  • Break-glass emergency codes
  • E-commerce & webhook integration
  • Dedicated account manager
Get in touch
Enterprise
Enterprise & Industrial
Unlimited seats. Dedicated enterprise support, 99.9% SLA.
  • Unlimited number of seats
  • KAM + on-site deployment
  • ERP / MES / Custom system integration
  • 99.9% SLA - 4h response time
Get in touch

Ready to trade hardware keys
for modern software licensing?

Sentinel activates in 2 minutes on a desktop seat. Migration from hardware keys - assisted by our team.

or write to us directly: hello@sentinel.ist