saving the license key for use offline

[risbyp]

Hi
I have recently been using FreeFileSync on Tails, the secure Linux distro that runs from USB stick. It has Persistent abilities, and I can save config files to a folder on the encrypted Persistent volume and set up so they are loaded on boot.
I have located FreeFileSync config files in ~/.config/FreeFileSync/ and set these up to load at boot. The only problem remaining is that everytime I start FreeFileSync, it asks for the license key, and I have to download a new key. This only happens when I reboot, so presumably the license key is stored somewhere within the file structure, but its not obvious where

What I am asking is where the license key is stored locally so that I dont have to get a new license key everytime I boot my laptop.
This is a donation version, I made a donation and, as I continue to find benefit from this great software, I will make further donations

Phil

[Zenju]

The problem seems to be that the network card MAC it keeps changing after each reboot.

[risbyp]

Dear Zenju
Thank you for investigating, I have just tested this and found you are quite correct. I turned off MAC anonamyser at boot of Tails and now I have no problem starting FreeFileSync
This leads me to a new concern. Free FileSync must communicate with my computer and exchance information without my being aware. Obviously I now know that it seeks and obtains my MAC address, a little bit of information I had not seen published in the 'Free' File Sync documentation, so now I am wondering what other information does 'Free' Files 'Sync' obtain without asking me first.
Of course, I would expect a response that says no other information is collected, but on what basis can I now accept this based on what has now transpired?
I am wondering what files are synced for free with whom?
Phil

[therube]

I don't think it is any of that (which you are describing).

Simply that the licensing is in part computed & verified (locally ?) based upon the MAC address.
(That is not atypical. Other softwares may use a HDD's volume serial number, or a combination of both...)


(Now, I think ? FFS also keeps a count ? or limits a count of machines it can run on ? so in that respect it may transmit the MAC ? for that purpose.)

[xCSxXenon]

There is no limit to the number of machines the donation edition can go on, but it is tracked. The list can be accessed from your personally unique donation page. The MAC is transferred over the internet for this, obviously.

There are plenty of tools out there for monitoring your device for local and network activity if you are so paranoid about such things.

[risbyp]

I understand that a software supplier may want to monitor on which machines it has been deployed. Obtaining the MAC address of each machine is one way, and if so deployed, there should be notification on the website to inform anyone who may use. Just as FreeFileSync.org should have contact information to the site owner and supplier of the software, this is US and EU law, and so the site is actually illegal. Anyone who builds websites for clients will be aware of what must be displayed or accessible from the website, unfortunately, none of this on this website is compliant with the law. Similarily, securing information from private computers is also required to notify users by law, again this is not happening. While it may be harmless means of gathering simple information, it could also be much more. We will soon see if this is legitimate and innocent if Zenju brings his website into legal compliance. This would be a great step forward towards building trust.

While sharing just MAC address information seems simple, after all, what do I have to hide? I leave this well worded paragraph for food for thought:

"Nothing to hide is an incomplete sentence. Nothing to hide from whom? Surely, you want to hide your children from abusers and predators? Don't you want to hide your banking details from con artists and fraudsters? Your identity from identity thieves. Your location from burglars, your car keys from car thieves, or your blood type from rich mobsters with kidney problems.

We don't know who are any of these things. So, we should protect ourselves from all of them, in effect we have everything to hide from someone, and no idea who someone is.'

[xCSxXenon]

https://freefilesync.org/privacy.php
There is also contact info at the bottom, it is his email address.
Also: https://freefilesync.org/imprint.php
Did you read the terms of use in its entirety?

I agree with your sentiment wholeheartedly, but your paranoia about FFS is unfounded thus far and you are simply talking crazy and inaccurately.

[risbyp]

Hi xCSxXenon
Yes, I had read the privacy policy, but no, I had missed the imprint in which the address is provided, my bad and my apologies

[therube]

(Since I had no idea what "Impressum" [Imprint] was.)

[Zenju]

The MAC address is not transferred online, but it is used to generate a unique "hardware id". This is documented in the privacy policy: https://freefilesync.org/privacy.php