App Protection

Protection App is an important feature in the Joget environment that ensures security and efficiency when managing your deployed applications.

Target audience for app protection

Before delving into the details, identify the target audience for App Protection:

1. Application Administrators: Individuals responsible for overseeing the deployment and management of software applications within an organization. They will use App Protection to control access, monitor usage, and manage app licenses. 
2. IT Security Teams: Your role in securing applications from unauthorized access and threats is crucial. App Protection tools are your trusted allies in maintaining the integrity and security of software applications, making your contribution invaluable. 
3. Software Developers: Developers can use App Protection to ensure that their applications comply with licensing agreements and protect proprietary code from being copied or tampered with. 
4. Business Managers: Decide which tools and technologies are implemented in their operations. By understanding and utilizing app protection, they optimize software investments and ensure compliance with legal requirements.

Types of apps

You can use one of two app types, Normal or Protected, according to your project's specific security and licensing needs. Below, we'll explain each of them:

Normal apps

Normal apps within Joget don't require a specific license and are compatible with Community and Enterprise editions. Some key features include:

• The exported app definition is stored in plain XML format and is compatible with both Community Edition and Enterprise Edition.
• They don't require a specific license to function.
• They behave like standard Joget apps and have no usage restrictions.

Protected apps

Protected apps require a specific license to function correctly in the Joget environment. These apps provide an additional layer of security and control over their deployment and usage. Some key features include:

• Require a specific license to function correctly.
• Protected apps display the label Protected App on the Application Design page, making it easy to identify them. This label also includes the license expiration date, if applicable.
• The exported application's definition and the database's form are encrypted to ensure data security.
• By default, an app license in Joget is tied to the specific app ID and the Licensed To string in the platform license. This system allows you to use the same app license on multiple machines. For instance, if you have two machines with platform licenses issued to Company XYZ, you can use the same app license on both, relieving you from the burden of managing multiple licenses.
• The Protected Apps feature has an optional activation capability that allows apps to be tied to the system key.
• The optional feature Protected Readonly App preserves the application design, ensuring that it cannot be modified.
• App licenses can also have expiry dates.
• Protected apps with invalid/expired licenses will prompt users to enter a valid license.

For more information, see Set Up Your App License and Protected App Set Up.

Reasons to use protected applications

The target audience for protected applications in Joget includes application administrators, IT security teams, software developers, and business managers. These users need to have protected applications instead of normal ones for the following reasons:

1. Additional Security: Protected applications offer an additional layer of security over normal applications. This is important for protecting sensitive data and maintaining the integrity of applications against unauthorized access and cyber threats.
2. Deployment and Usage Control: Protected applications allow greater control over their deployment and usage. This is especially important for organizations that comply with internal policies or external regulations.
3. Protection of Proprietary Code: For software developers, their work is invaluable and protected applications provide additional protection for their proprietary code. This prevents unauthorized copying or manipulation of the code, helping to safeguard the company's intellectual property assets.
4. Effective License Management: With protected applications, organizations can effectively manage application licenses, including assigning specific licenses to users or teams, tracking the status of licenses, and renewing or upgrading as needed.

Therefore, protected applications offer enhanced security, control, and license management compared to normal applications, making them ideal for organizations requiring additional protection and regulatory compliance.

Enterprise edition platform activation

• The platform license in Joget is based on a system key, which relates to network hardware and profile, meaning a license cannot be used across different machines; each machine requires a unique license.
• The default 3-user license does not require activation.
• For more information, see Activate your Joget DX Enterprise License.