Case 721
The licence was checked at install and the machine was cloned
the_licence_was_checked_at_install_and_the_machine_was_cloned.eml - The licence file is signed, verified against a public key at install, bound to a hardware fingerprint, and the installer refuses without a valid one. How many running machines verified it is computed below.
ok: true — round-trip fixpoint reached (python1 == python2)updated 2026-09-06
EML
eml# Self-authored for the EML case corpus (no external origin). The licence file
# is signed, verified against a public key at install, bound to a hardware
# fingerprint, and the installer refuses without a valid one. How many running
# machines verified it is computed below.
#
# The check is properly built. The licence is a signed document rather than a
# key that can be typed from a forum post; the signature is verified against a
# public key compiled into the installer rather than one fetched at runtime;
# expiry is enforced rather than warned about; and the installer exits without
# installing when verification fails. Forty licences, forty installs, forty
# signature verifications, none skipped.
#
# The check runs at INSTALL and records that it passed. The customer builds one
# machine image by running the installer once and the autoscaling group clones
# it, so the recorded result is copied along with everything else.
#
# Two thousand one hundred forty machines are running the software.
40 => licences_purchased
40 => installs_performed
0 => running_machines_that_verified
0 => installs_without_a_valid_licence
40 => signature_verifications_that_ran
2140 => machines_running_the_software
0 => fingerprint_checks_after_install
0 => runtime_verifications_of_the_signature
1 => times_the_installer_runs_per_machine_image
machines_running_the_software - running_machines_that_verified => machines_that_never_verified_anything
int(running_machines_that_verified * 10000 / machines_running_the_software) => verified_per_myriad
"licences purchased : " + str(licences_purchased) ^0
"installs performed : " + str(installs_performed) ^0
" without a valid licence : " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence) ^0
"signature verifications that ran: " + str(signature_verifications_that_ran) ^0
"" ^0
"machines running the software : " + str(machines_running_the_software) ^0
" that verified : " + str(running_machines_that_verified) ^0
" build machines that installed : " + str(installs_performed) + ", none of them in this fleet" ^0
" that never verified anything : " + str(machines_that_never_verified_anything) ^0
" share verified : " + str(verified_per_myriad) + " per ten thousand" ^0
"" ^0
"installer runs per machine image: " + str(times_the_installer_runs_per_machine_image) ^0
"fingerprint checks after install: " + str(fingerprint_checks_after_install) ^0
"runtime verifications : " + str(runtime_verifications_of_the_signature) ^0
"" ^0
# ---- what the check verified ----
"the licence check" ^0
" the licence is : a signed document, not a typed key" ^0
" the public key comes from : the installer binary, not" ^0
" a runtime fetch" ^0
" expiry : enforced, not warned about" ^0
" on failure : the installer exits without installing" ^0
" verifications that ran : " + str(signature_verifications_that_ran) ^0
" installs without a valid licence : " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence) ^0
" verdict : VERIFIED" ^0
"" ^0
" a compiled-in public key and a hard refusal are the two" ^0
" choices that make this hard to defeat, and both are made" ^0
"" ^0
# ---- what install time is ----
"the moment of the check" ^0
" when it runs : once, while installing" ^0
" what it writes : a record that it passed" ^0
" where that record lives : the filesystem" ^0
" what the customer does with that filesystem : bakes it" ^0
" into a machine image" ^0
" what the autoscaling group does with the image : clones" ^0
" it, " + str(machines_running_the_software) + " times" ^0
" what a clone re-checks : " + str(runtime_verifications_of_the_signature) ^0
"" ^0
" the check is unforgeable and it is a statement about an" ^0
" event, and the event happened once" ^0
"" ^0
# ---- nobody is cheating ----
# The customer is not evading anything. Baking an image and scaling it is the
# recommended way to run this software, it is in the vendor's own deployment
# guide, and the customer's platform team has never touched the licence file.
"the customer" ^0
" bakes an image and scales it : yes" ^0
" is that documented by the vendor : yes, as the" ^0
" recommended deployment" ^0
" has anyone modified the licence file : no" ^0
" has anyone bypassed the installer : no" ^0
" is the deployment within the agreement : that is a" ^0
" question about the agreement, and the check does not" ^0
" answer it either way" ^0
"" ^0
# ---- what the hardware fingerprint bound ----
# The fingerprint is read during install and compared to the licence. In an
# image build it is the fingerprint of the build machine, which is not any of
# the machines that later run the software.
"the fingerprint" ^0
" read when : during install" ^0
" read on which machine : the one building the image" ^0
" compared to the licence : yes, and it matched" ^0
" machines later running the software : " + str(machines_running_the_software) ^0
" of those, machines whose fingerprint was ever read :" ^0
" " + str(running_machines_that_verified) ^0
" re-reads after install : " + str(fingerprint_checks_after_install) ^0
"" ^0
# ---- what the compliance report says ----
"the vendor's report" ^0
" licences sold : " + str(licences_purchased) ^0
" installs recorded : " + str(installs_performed) ^0
" failed verifications : " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence) ^0
" what the report concludes : full compliance" ^0
" what it counts : installs" ^0
" what the agreement is priced on : running instances" ^0
" instances the report can see : " + str(running_machines_that_verified) + " of " + str(machines_running_the_software) ^0
"" ^0
# ---- null control ----
# The same signed licence, verified at process start against a fingerprint read
# at that moment, rather than a marker read from disk.
machines_running_the_software => nc_machines_that_verify
0 => nc_machines_that_never_verified
"null control - the check runs when the process starts" ^0
" installs without a valid licence : " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence) + ", unchanged" ^0
" machines that verify : " + str(nc_machines_that_verify) ^0
" machines that never verified : " + str(nc_machines_that_never_verified) ^0
" the cryptography did not get stronger; the check moved" ^0
" from an event that happens once to a state that" ^0
" persists" ^0
"" ^0
# ---- the rule ----
"what an install-time licence check guarantees" ^0
" this installation was authorised : exactly, with a" ^0
" signature that cannot be forged and a refusal that" ^0
" cannot be skipped" ^0
" this software is running under a licence : not" ^0
" addressed; the check is an event and running is a" ^0
" state, and the filesystem carrying the result is" ^0
" copyable" ^0
"" ^0
"a check performed once produces a fact about that moment," ^0
"which is then stored; storing it makes it duplicable, so the" ^0
"strength of the verification bounds forgery and says nothing" ^0
"about multiplicity" ^0
"" ^0
"The check is properly built: a signed licence, a public key compiled into the" ^0
"installer, expiry enforced, and a refusal to install on failure - " + str(signature_verifications_that_ran) ^0
"verifications, " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence) + " installs without a valid licence. It runs once per image and" ^0
"the result is baked into the filesystem, so of " + str(machines_running_the_software) + " machines running the" ^0
"software " + str(machines_that_never_verified_anything) + " never verified anything - " + str(verified_per_myriad) + " per ten thousand did - with" ^0
str(fingerprint_checks_after_install) + " fingerprint re-reads and a compliance report that counts installs." ^0Python (deterministic transpilation)
pythonlicences_purchased = 40
installs_performed = 40
running_machines_that_verified = 0
installs_without_a_valid_licence = 0
signature_verifications_that_ran = 40
machines_running_the_software = 2140
fingerprint_checks_after_install = 0
runtime_verifications_of_the_signature = 0
times_the_installer_runs_per_machine_image = 1
machines_that_never_verified_anything = machines_running_the_software - running_machines_that_verified
verified_per_myriad = int(running_machines_that_verified * 10000 / machines_running_the_software)
print("licences purchased : " + str(licences_purchased))
print("installs performed : " + str(installs_performed))
print(" without a valid licence : " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence))
print("signature verifications that ran: " + str(signature_verifications_that_ran))
print("")
print("machines running the software : " + str(machines_running_the_software))
print(" that verified : " + str(running_machines_that_verified))
print(" build machines that installed : " + str(installs_performed) + ", none of them in this fleet")
print(" that never verified anything : " + str(machines_that_never_verified_anything))
print(" share verified : " + str(verified_per_myriad) + " per ten thousand")
print("")
print("installer runs per machine image: " + str(times_the_installer_runs_per_machine_image))
print("fingerprint checks after install: " + str(fingerprint_checks_after_install))
print("runtime verifications : " + str(runtime_verifications_of_the_signature))
print("")
print("the licence check")
print(" the licence is : a signed document, not a typed key")
print(" the public key comes from : the installer binary, not")
print(" a runtime fetch")
print(" expiry : enforced, not warned about")
print(" on failure : the installer exits without installing")
print(" verifications that ran : " + str(signature_verifications_that_ran))
print(" installs without a valid licence : " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence))
print(" verdict : VERIFIED")
print("")
print(" a compiled-in public key and a hard refusal are the two")
print(" choices that make this hard to defeat, and both are made")
print("")
print("the moment of the check")
print(" when it runs : once, while installing")
print(" what it writes : a record that it passed")
print(" where that record lives : the filesystem")
print(" what the customer does with that filesystem : bakes it")
print(" into a machine image")
print(" what the autoscaling group does with the image : clones")
print(" it, " + str(machines_running_the_software) + " times")
print(" what a clone re-checks : " + str(runtime_verifications_of_the_signature))
print("")
print(" the check is unforgeable and it is a statement about an")
print(" event, and the event happened once")
print("")
print("the customer")
print(" bakes an image and scales it : yes")
print(" is that documented by the vendor : yes, as the")
print(" recommended deployment")
print(" has anyone modified the licence file : no")
print(" has anyone bypassed the installer : no")
print(" is the deployment within the agreement : that is a")
print(" question about the agreement, and the check does not")
print(" answer it either way")
print("")
print("the fingerprint")
print(" read when : during install")
print(" read on which machine : the one building the image")
print(" compared to the licence : yes, and it matched")
print(" machines later running the software : " + str(machines_running_the_software))
print(" of those, machines whose fingerprint was ever read :")
print(" " + str(running_machines_that_verified))
print(" re-reads after install : " + str(fingerprint_checks_after_install))
print("")
print("the vendor's report")
print(" licences sold : " + str(licences_purchased))
print(" installs recorded : " + str(installs_performed))
print(" failed verifications : " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence))
print(" what the report concludes : full compliance")
print(" what it counts : installs")
print(" what the agreement is priced on : running instances")
print(" instances the report can see : " + str(running_machines_that_verified) + " of " + str(machines_running_the_software))
print("")
nc_machines_that_verify = machines_running_the_software
nc_machines_that_never_verified = 0
print("null control - the check runs when the process starts")
print(" installs without a valid licence : " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence) + ", unchanged")
print(" machines that verify : " + str(nc_machines_that_verify))
print(" machines that never verified : " + str(nc_machines_that_never_verified))
print(" the cryptography did not get stronger; the check moved")
print(" from an event that happens once to a state that")
print(" persists")
print("")
print("what an install-time licence check guarantees")
print(" this installation was authorised : exactly, with a")
print(" signature that cannot be forged and a refusal that")
print(" cannot be skipped")
print(" this software is running under a licence : not")
print(" addressed; the check is an event and running is a")
print(" state, and the filesystem carrying the result is")
print(" copyable")
print("")
print("a check performed once produces a fact about that moment,")
print("which is then stored; storing it makes it duplicable, so the")
print("strength of the verification bounds forgery and says nothing")
print("about multiplicity")
print("")
print("The check is properly built: a signed licence, a public key compiled into the")
print("installer, expiry enforced, and a refusal to install on failure - " + str(signature_verifications_that_ran))
print("verifications, " + str(installs_without_a_valid_licence) + " installs without a valid licence. It runs once per image and")
print("the result is baked into the filesystem, so of " + str(machines_running_the_software) + " machines running the")
print("software " + str(machines_that_never_verified_anything) + " never verified anything - " + str(verified_per_myriad) + " per ten thousand did - with")
print(str(fingerprint_checks_after_install) + " fingerprint re-reads and a compliance report that counts installs.")stdout (executed)
textlicences purchased : 40
installs performed : 40
without a valid licence : 0
signature verifications that ran: 40
machines running the software : 2140
that verified : 0
build machines that installed : 40, none of them in this fleet
that never verified anything : 2140
share verified : 0 per ten thousand
installer runs per machine image: 1
fingerprint checks after install: 0
runtime verifications : 0
the licence check
the licence is : a signed document, not a typed key
the public key comes from : the installer binary, not
a runtime fetch
expiry : enforced, not warned about
on failure : the installer exits without installing
verifications that ran : 40
installs without a valid licence : 0
verdict : VERIFIED
a compiled-in public key and a hard refusal are the two
choices that make this hard to defeat, and both are made
the moment of the check
when it runs : once, while installing
what it writes : a record that it passed
where that record lives : the filesystem
what the customer does with that filesystem : bakes it
into a machine image
what the autoscaling group does with the image : clones
it, 2140 times
what a clone re-checks : 0
the check is unforgeable and it is a statement about an
event, and the event happened once
the customer
bakes an image and scales it : yes
is that documented by the vendor : yes, as the
recommended deployment
has anyone modified the licence file : no
has anyone bypassed the installer : no
is the deployment within the agreement : that is a
question about the agreement, and the check does not
answer it either way
the fingerprint
read when : during install
read on which machine : the one building the image
compared to the licence : yes, and it matched
machines later running the software : 2140
of those, machines whose fingerprint was ever read :
0
re-reads after install : 0
the vendor's report
licences sold : 40
installs recorded : 40
failed verifications : 0
what the report concludes : full compliance
what it counts : installs
what the agreement is priced on : running instances
instances the report can see : 0 of 2140
null control - the check runs when the process starts
installs without a valid licence : 0, unchanged
machines that verify : 2140
machines that never verified : 0
the cryptography did not get stronger; the check moved
from an event that happens once to a state that
persists
what an install-time licence check guarantees
this installation was authorised : exactly, with a
signature that cannot be forged and a refusal that
cannot be skipped
this software is running under a licence : not
addressed; the check is an event and running is a
state, and the filesystem carrying the result is
copyable
a check performed once produces a fact about that moment,
which is then stored; storing it makes it duplicable, so the
strength of the verification bounds forgery and says nothing
about multiplicity
The check is properly built: a signed licence, a public key compiled into the
installer, expiry enforced, and a refusal to install on failure - 40
verifications, 0 installs without a valid licence. It runs once per image and
the result is baked into the filesystem, so of 2140 machines running the
software 2140 never verified anything - 0 per ten thousand did - with
0 fingerprint re-reads and a compliance report that counts installs.Trace event types
eml:run:starteml:assigneml:outputeml:run:done