title: Can a checksum be used to prevent piracy?
body: <p>Can using the checksum of a file somehow prevent (hinder) piracy? Perhaps I could calculate the checksum of my final exe and then at random intervals, have the exe check the checksum of itself, to ensure that it hasn't been tampered with? </p>
  
  <p>EDIT:</p>
  
  <p>I guess I was a bit naive with my original question. There is a link to an interview with a cracker here:
  <a href="http://successfulsoftware.net/2011/04/07/interview-with-a-cracker/" rel="nofollow">http://successfulsoftware.net/2011/04/07/interview-with-a-cracker/</a></p>
  
  <p>"
  What are the commonest mistakes software developers make related to security?</p>
  
  <p>In no particular order:</p>
  
  <p>Not integrity checking against patching.
  "</p>
  
  <p>So how would I implement the cracker's suggestion?</p>