I’m using Qt Installer Framework to install my Linux app in several OS like Redhat/Centos and Ubuntu. It works nice but for compliance reasons I have to add a step where the user is mandated to enter a key that will be stored with the application binaries. This encrypted text key will unlock features in the given application.
I’m not looking for a hacker-proof solution, just something that I can legally claim the user had to do in order to install the binaries. This is to protect us in court, so the client does not claim they just downloaded the software from the internet and run. We have to say that the only way they were using the application is by either tampering with the installer, copying from another client (which is illegal) or actually agreeing with the EULA conditions.
The way that currently is, the binaries are stored with vanilla compression (7zip) in the web server (I only allow online installer) and anyone can download and unpack the 7zip container thus creating a legal breach.