Matrix user forums

Hi,
This is to ask you to introduce a password for each Flowcode projects to prevent downloading and editing a program from a MIAC to a PC. This is because using your downloading tool anyone can read a program which is in a MIAC and edit it and reload. There is a big risk on this. So please pay your attention this...

Thanks,

Thushara

Hello,

The MIAC tool can pull the hex file out of the device, however having access to the hex file is a huge difference from having access to the source Flowcode project. You cannot take the hex file and create the Flowcode or even the C but you could recreate the assembler source from the hex.

It should be possible to program a MIAC and then change the config bits so that the program can no longer be read out, this might however cause problems if you ever wanted to do a firmware upgrade.

Hi,

Can you please mention here how to change the config bit to prevent the program to be read out from a Miac. Otherwise others can copy my programs and paste to other Miacs for business purposes. Or any other solution to prevent entry this also appreciated.

Regards,

Thushara

Hi Admin,

After a longer time.
Please let me know how to change the config bits to prevent the program been read out from a MIAC.
Right now i'm using more than 150 MIACS in power generation sector and there is a risk on reading the program out by unauthorized persons.

Thanks,

BR,

Thushara.

Hi Thushara,

One way to protect your program would be to use the internal EEPROM.
You could write a separate program to pre-set a few locations with set values.
Then in your distributed application, at startup check for the correct values, if they don't compare exit the application.
That would protect against a simple copy of the application.

Hope that helps,
Regards,
Leigh

Hi LeighM,

Thanks for the instructions. Yes. The method you said is correct and I thought to use this method already. But the problem is when I use the EEPROM in Other applications, the saved words in EEPROM addresses are getting changed sometimes. Those have been changed automatically sometimes to 255 and sometimes to zero. So I had to keep some upper and lover limits to these settings and if the saved values are beyond those I had to stop the device function issuing alarm to reset the values. So I thought if I use this method it will create a mess to myself as well. So please consider this and find me a solution for these two problems.

Thanks,

Thushara

Hi Thushara,

Some other ideas to consider are:
1) Make a security dongle that you can test for via the CAN network. Maybe an Expansion module that has some unique loopback wired from outputs to inputs, or even a customised program.
2) Program your MIAC with a PicKit, thereby overwriting the internal bootloader. This would require opening the MIAC case and using the PicKit connector that is on the underside of the top pcb. The MIAC Flowcode fcd would require the removing of the 0x800 program offset, such that a hex file is generated and then programmed into the MIAC with the PicKit.
Doing this would mean that the MIAC would no longer respond to the USB, and you would also have the option to protect the code via the chip config settings.

Regards,
Leigh