What is a Dongle in Computing?

A dongle is a piece of Hardware used for Software protection that is connected to a Computer’s I/O port to ensure that software is completed securely. The dongle must be present for the Software Program to run.

The dongle’s important reason is to save you Piracy or unauthorized execution of software and its use is normally limited to high-end software program with a small middle marketplace, which includes audio blending or pc assisted layout software program.

Other terms for dongle include hardware key, hardware Token or protection tool.

What Does Dongle Mean?

Dongles can lessen software program piracy and might maximize income for software program vendors. However, using dongles is strongly resisted by way of Clients because maximum human beings are not willing to place up with the hassle of more hardware. As such, dongles have frequently did not gain extensive marketplace penetration.

Although dongles offer a few degree of security towards piracy, they can be Cracked via modifying the software program to send the Signal that the dongle is attached to the pc walking the software program even when it isn't.

In addition, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act surpassed within the U.S. In 2010 Makes it felony to run software to skip an external protection Device inclusive of a dongle beneath numerous particular situations.