EBOOK SECURITY PRICING:

Sign up for the risk-free 30-day trial and get unlimited ebook security for only $29.95 US. If you decide to renew after your 30-day trial period, you will pay a recurring monthly fee of only $29.95 US per month and you get unlimited use of the Virtual Vault ebook security program.

Virtual Vault Frequently Asked Questions

(Last updated November 9, 2009)

NEW!

As of April 2009, the Virtual Vault now wraps your product with Foxit version 3.0 when locking it. This version of Foxit Reader allows you to have multimedia within your secure PDFs! You can read up about Foxit version 3.0 here; http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/

How does the Virtual Vault work with the payment processor?

First, the customer pays with Clickbank, Paypal or other merchant account. Once their payment is processed & approved, they are redirected to a form on *our* server that asks for their name & email address. When they submit this form, their access code is generated and they are redirected to the download page, which is a page you create and upload to *your* server. (The secured documents are also located on your server.)

The form that generates the access code is a dummy URL that can only be used once and then it is permanently discarded, preventing people from generating additional access codes. Also, our software masks your download link so that it cannot be shared with others.

The customer downloads the file and will be prompted for their access code, which is their email address. Then the file opens and that's it!

What payment processors work with the Virtual Vault?

With so many payment processors available, it is impossible for us to test each one for compatibility with the Virtual Vault. We do know that the Virtual Vault will work with ClickBank, PaySystems, 2Checkout & PayPal.

If your payment processor allows you to specify the Thank You page/Download page location, then it will most likely work with the Virtual Vault.

Try it out by signing up for the trial version!

What operating systems does the Virtual Vault work with?

The Virtual Vault works with PC's running Windows. It will also work with Mac computers that have the Windows operating system installed (Mac users will need to run Windows). This applies to both the Virtual Vault itself and also to secured ebooks generated by the Virtual Vault.

Will I get charged for each ebook or file that I distribute?

No! You will only be charged a monthly fee of $29.95 US for unlimited use. You may use the Virtual Vault to secure as many ebooks or files as you wish - there will never be an extra charge!

Try the Virtual Vault Now Risk-Free!

Will the Virtual Vault protect HTML web pages, images, or audio and video files?

The Virtual Vault only protects EXE & PDF files.

What methods of payment do you accept?

We currently accept VISA & Mastercard.

What kind of customer support do you offer?

We provide free, unlimited support by email. In order to keep our prices low, we do not provide support by phone. We work hard to answer all questions promptly. It is important to us to provide good customer service and we strive to go beyond by building relationships with our customers. We believe that happy, satisfied customers are the basis for our success and YOU are very important to us! Click here to contact us.

When was your product last updated?

Version 2.5.3.0 was released November 19, 2008. Our goal was to make as many features as possible completely web-based.

The new features include:

1. When locking an .exe file in Virtual Vault, you can now brand this with your own icon or logo (you do not have to use the default lock icon).
2. There is a search feature within all Product Statistics pages which allows you to easily search for a specific user by date, email, or name.
3. You can re-activate a code in your Statistics which you have revoked.
4. The Product Statistics page now allows you to issue a new access code online.
5. We have added security for accessing the product Statistics page(s). All merchants must be logged in to access their Statistics and cannot simply paste the Stats URL in their browser to gain access.

We have also made some cosmetic changes to this version.

Version 2.5.2.0 was released in December 2006. Past versions of the Virtual Vault only allowed people to read your locked PDF in very specific version of Adobe Reader, and not in any of the other Adobe products.

Version 2.5.2.0 solves this problem by including a custom PDF reader along with your locked PDF file. The locked file you will distribute will still be one file, but compressed within this file is a PDF reader that is invoked by the Virtual Vault upon execution of your product. The PDF reader will be executed on the fly and sent to a temp folder, and will be deleted every time your locked file is closed. Your end users do not have to install it.

Your customers will simply double-click your locked PDF and then proceed to read it through a reader that we can fully control. Now 100% of your customers can now read your locked PDF since it comes with its own reader. I hope you can appreciate the advantage this gives you as far as your PDF security is concerned.

NOTE: If you allow printing of your PDF file this new solution still allows that, it just needs to be noted that end users will need to press and hold CTRL+P for 3 seconds in order to invoke the PDF Print window. If you do not allow printing during the file locking stage this feature will be disabled for your end users.

We released version 2.5 in November 2006. This version uses the end user's email address as the "access code" so it is much easier for them to remember it should they need to enter it again.

Will my customers be able to print their ebook?

Whether or not they can print the book is up to you & the ebook software you are using. Adobe Acrobat® & most other ebook software give you the option to either enable or disable printing.

Does the Virtual Vault hide the download link to my ebook?

The download URL is hidden to a certain extent, however, how well it is
hidden is irrelevant when using the Virtual Vault product. Unless a person has purchased your product & has a legitimate access code, they will never be able to open your product.

Do my customers have to be online every time they access my locked product?

No. They will need to be online to validate their purchase the first time they use it, but after that they will be able to access your product without being connected. However, you have the ability to specify the number of days before your product MUST check in with our servers. This way if they simply set their firewall to block access to the Internet after they've unlocked your product (to try to trick the Virtual Vault) it will automatically become disabled after X amount of days. They have to check in periodically to validate.

Exactly how does the Virtual Vault protect my ebook or software program?

The Virtual Vault locks and encrypts your EXE or PDF file. Once locked and encrypted, your file can only be unlocked using a valid access code, which is generated only after a person comes through your order process OR by you, the owner, generating an access code using the Master Key (With the release of version 2.5 in November 2006, the access code is now your customer's email address).

Once the purchase process is complete, the customer runs your locked file and inputs their access code when prompted. If this access code is entered correctly they are granted access.

The Virtual Vault then logs an entry onto the user's PC, also encrypted, matching that user and that PC with that product ID and that access code. That access code only works for that valid user, it does not work for others. It then requires a validation with the server at intervals set by you to ensure the code remains valid and they remain a customer in good standing.

At any time you may monitor and administer user rights through your stats panel. You can monitor what access codes have been created, for what users, and all the users' details including full name, time of registration, IP address and email address. And you can revoke access from a refunded customer or export all of your customer data to a .csv file at any time.

No cookies are used in the validation process.

Once my customer downloads the protected ebook, can they copy it to a disk (CD or DVD)?

Yes, they can copy it to a disk but it will not open from the disk. They will need to copy it to their hard drive. Then it will only open if they have a unique access code, and after this code has been used once it cannot be shared with others.

How easy is it for my paying customers to get my locked product?

Extremely easy! The only difference in the purchase process from your customers' viewpoint is that they will be asked to fill in a short registration form to receive an access code for your product, as shown in the screen shot below:

This access code will be emailed to them immediately after they order. (With the release of version 2.5 in November 2006, the access code is now your customer's email address).

Their access code can only be used once to unlock your product, so the same code can never be used by anyone else.

Do you collect my customers' information?

Absolutely not! Your customer data is exactly that, your data. You may use your stats page to export all your customer data in a .csv file but again, this is for your purposes only. We will never contact your customers or use their information in any way.

Will my customers receive any advertisements from you?

No.

Does the Virtual Vault protect PDF files?

YES! You now can protect your PDF files from being distributed freely. The Virtual Vault gives you complete control over the use of your PDF files, and doesn't cost several thousands of dollars per year like our competitors.

Keep in mind that your PDF files will become an EXE file when it is locked.

More information on PDF files:

Past versions of the Virtual Vault only allowed people to read your locked PDF in very specific version of Adobe Reader, and not in any of the other Adobe products.

Version 2.5.2.0 solves this problem by including a custom PDF reader along with your locked PDF file. The locked file you will distribute will still be one file, but compressed within this file is a PDF reader that is invoked by the Virtual Vault upon execution of your product. The PDF reader will be executed on the fly and sent to a temp folder, and will be deleted every time your locked file is closed. Your end users do not have to install it.

Your customers will simply double-click your locked PDF and then proceed to read it through a reader that we can fully control. Now 100% of your customers can now read your locked PDF since it comes with its own reader. I hope you can appreciate the advantage this gives you as far as your PDF security is concerned.

NOTE: If you allow printing of your PDF file this new solution still allows that, it just needs to be noted that end users will need to press and hold CTRL+P for 3 seconds in order to invoke the PDF Print window. If you do not allow printing during the file locking stage this feature will be disabled for your end users.

What if a customer loses their unlock code?

No problem. You simply use your "Master Key" to generate a new unlock code for them, then email it to them. (With the release of version 2.5 in November 2006, the access code is now your customer's email address.)

What if a customer needs to re-install my product?

Easy. You simply provide them with a locked copy of your product. The Virtual Vault will remember if they've validated previously and won't ask them to do so again.

What happens if I'm not happy with the Virtual Vault?

We can't see that happening. But in the rare off chance that it does, simply let us know and we will immediately cancel your account. You will no longer be able to generate access codes for your locked product(s). Locked copies that are already distributed will remain protected.

Does your program prevent Adobe Acrobat Reader 6.0 feature called "save a copy”?

Most security software is defeated when the customer clicks on File>Save a copy and saves a copy to their desktop without the EXE security. However, this can not happen with the Virtual Vault because it stops this exact thing; by disabling the Save feature from within all versions of the Adobe Reader.

How is the download page protected and what keeps someone from coping the download page and giving it out?

You do not need to worry about the download page once the Virtual Vault protects your product. Even if people discover the download location all they will get is a locked file, and without a valid access code this file is useless. (People can only obtain an access code if they've purchased the product or if you generate one for them using the Master Key. Access codes cannot be shared).

If your product uses the customers IP address to validate them, how does your product work for customers that do not have a static IP address?

The Virtual Vault does not use the IP address to validate ebooks. When your customer inputs their unique access code they are granted access. That access code logs an entry onto the users PC that is encrypted, matching that user and that PC with that product ID. That access code only works for that valid user, it does not work for others.

Can the Virtual Vault be used to lock zip files?

No, only the contents of the zip file can be locked. A locked zip can be unlocked and the contents exposed. Each file must be locked individually.

If I put a protected book on CD and my customer puts the ebook on a network say 10 PC's what will happen? Will the whole network see the ebook? What is the protection and how?

The ebook will be visible for all the users but all of them would require an access code to open the ebook. The access code is stored in the local system registry; hence, to open the ebook all 10 PC’s would require an access key. This is the security. So yes, it is protected and only that one PC can use the ebook.

I have software that was developed in C++ that’s executable. The program needs to use online services for it to function. Can your service lock and track the program?

Yes, it certainly can. www.prprowler.com is an executable that requires online connectivity to run, and it is locked in the Virtual Vault and has been for some time now, with many successful users.

If I set up a product of mine as a Free Trial Product, will the time period that I specify for that product begin to expire when the customer creates an access code or after the customer uses the access code to open the product?

When they actually use the access code.

We are distributing specialized reports to several users monthly in an ebook and/or .pdf format. Can we use Virtual Vault to give our customers access to several separate files or will they need to purchase a separate key for each report they download and view each month?

Yes, they'll need a separate key for each product.

Is the activation key emailed to clients automatically or do I have to manually send out an activation key for every client?

Yes, access codes are automatically emailed out after the customer purchases the product. (With the release of version 2.5 in November 2006, the access code is now your customer's email address).

If your customer does not have to go through a purchase process to obtain your product, then you will need to manually generate an access code using the Master Key.

In order for me to access the stats panel, must my membership stay active with you, or is the stats panel a piece of software that runs independently on my PC?

If you cancel, you will no longer be able to view stats.

How exactly does the stats panel work? If a client wants a refund, am I able to completely "close down" their ebook from further viewing?

Yes, you can revoke access from customers from the stats panel or
through the s/w interface.

If I have more than one file to protect, is it possible to encrypt both files using the same unlock code?

No, each product must be locked on its own.

Is it possible to do all the locking automatically, using some script?

The locking you must do yourself, but once it's locked the distribution of this locked file is automatic.

Is it possible to store the codes in a database on my own (i.e. use the same codes to let my customers access the online version of the products)?

Yes, you can export the entire access code stats panel to a CSV for
any purpose you choose.

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