FAQ - CRYPTO-BOX SC / XS / Versa

Is the CRYPTO-BOX Evaluation Kit for free?

The Evaluation Kit (which includes the Professional Protection Kit) can be tested for 45 days without obligation.

If you need more time, just contact us to extend the evaluation period. Otherwise, return the Evaluation Kit with paid postage and you will receive your money back. Companies from EU countries will get the Evaluation Kit on account and have 45 days before remitting or payment. 

Which CRYPTO-BOX version is included in the Evaluation Kit?

By default, the CRYPTO-BOX SC model will be included in the Evaluation Kit. For a limited time, we are also including the same model with USB-C connector.

If you would like to test another CRYPTO-BOX model (e.g. CRYPTO-BOX XS or Versa), please use the “Comment” field at the end of the ordering process to request the corresponding model in your Evaluation Kit.

What do I need to order if I want to get the latest Professional Protection Kit version for the CRYPTO-BOX?

The Professional Protection Kit allows you to obtain the most recent development tools for the CRYPTO-BOX for a one-time fee.

Alternatively you can buy a Support Level Option, which entitles you to download the latest Protection Kit Update from our support section during the time the support option is valid (one year or two years), plus getting free technical support from the MARX Team for this period.

Are the different CRYPTO-BOX models compatible to each other?

All CRYPTO-BOX units for USB port (SC, XS and Versa models, inlcuding the corresponding models with USB-C plug) are compatible and use the same API functions. Therefore software which was written for the CRYPTO-BOX Versa will also work with the XS and SC.

The XS (as well as the SC) additionally provides network licensing (read more), and the CRYPTO-BOX SC supports RSA encryption in hardware and allows to set multiple key slots for hardware based AES and RSA encryption. A comparison table can be found here.

I want to use the CRYPTO-BOX SC/XS or Versa under Windows 32/64Bit. But when I plug the CRYPTO-BOX into the USB port, Windows does not find the drivers.

Before attaching the CRYPTO-BOX to your Windows computer, please install the device drivers with CBUSetup (available in the download area), and attach the CRYPTO-BOX after that. For system integrators, the drivers are provided alternatively as Windows Installer Merge Module (.msm) or separate files (.inf/.cat/.sys).

Please note that you need administrator rights to install the device drivers.

For Linux and macOS there are no special drivers required. Please refer to the readme file in the SmarxOS4Linux resp. SmarxOS4Mac package for further details on supported environments.

Which certifications does the CRYPTO-BOX hardware have and where do I find it?

Please visit this page for an overview about the certifications of the CRYPTO-BOX. If you have more questions about certifications, please use our contact form.

When I plug the CRYPTO-BOX into the USB port, the device is not recognized. Why does the red LED light on the dongle not light up?

Try to attach the CRYPTO-BOX to another USB port. If the problem still exists, please make sure that you have installed the latest CRYPTO-BOX device drivers with CBUSetup.

To make sure that any old drivers are removed and the latest drivers are installed, we recommend the following steps:

• Unplug the CRYPTO-BOX from the USB port
• Download the CBUSetup Zip archive, open/unpack it and execute CBUSetup.exe, then choose the "Uninstall" option
• After uninstallation has finished, restart the computer
• Execute CBUSetup.exe again and choose the "Install" option
• Plug in the CRYPTO-BOX, it will be detected automatically

If this does not solve the problem, please send us the MARX Analyzer report of your computer.

II am using a product from another supplier for software protection, e.g. HASP/Aladdin or Rainbow Sentinel. They no longer offer further driver or API support. Can I replace them with your product?

We recommend you switching to the CRYPTO-BOX System to replace your discontinued product. We "always stay on top" and support new operating systems and platforms. Not only Windows, but also Linux, macOS, ARM, etc. as soon as they come onto the market. We can also provide implementation support for a quick migration.

Please contact us to talk about your project!

I need an update of the Professional Protection Kit to get the latest AutoCrypt or libraries for implementation with API. How can I get it?

Usually, you will receive the Professional Protection Kit with your first order (Evaluation Kit or Starter Kit).

Should you already have an older Protection Kit, but you want to take advantage of the features offered in the latest version, you can order the latest version in our Shop.

Alternatively, you can buy a Support Level Option which entitles you to download the latest Protection Kit version, PLUS the option to get  free technical support from the MARX Team, during the period the support option is valid (one year or two years).

I have issues with the CRYPTO-BOX detection. How can I find out what goes wrong?

MARX Analyzer helps with troubleshooting for CRYPTO-BOX hardware and software components, providing comprehensive
diagnostics to resolve problems quickly. It generates a detailed report, which can be submitted to MARX technical support.

How to perform a diagnosis:

• Download the MARX Analyzer archive from our download section
• No installation is required, just unzip all files in the archive and start the marxanalyzer.exe
• Click the "Start Diagnostics" button
• A window comes up asking for the CRYPTO-BOX profile required for advanced diagnostics. Click "Skip" if you are an end-user without this profile. If you are a MARX customer and in possession of this profile (.trx file), click the browse button, select the profile and click "Rescan" to run the advanced diagnostics
• The next window asks for optionally available CRYPTO-BOX servers in the network. Select "Skip" if your CRYPTO-BOX is attached to the local USB port of your computer. Otherwise choose one option and click "Search"
• After diagnostics has finished, the results will be displayed. If MARX Analyzer found issues, the entries will be tagged with an exclamation mark. When clicking on the tagged entry, a troubleshooting ID will be displayed in the right window. Click on the ID to display further details and troubleshooting options
• If your problem persists, you can send the MARX Analyzer report to the software distributor (if you are an end-user) or directly to MARX (if you are a MARX customer). Click the "Save Report" button and attach the .mdiag file to your error description

Remark: Depending on the CRYPTO-BOX model, either the "CBUSB2 driver" (driver for CRYPTO-BOX SC model) or "CBUSB driver" (driver for CRYPTO-BOX XS/Versa models) is loaded. Therefore, an exclamation mark and "service is not registered/not running" for the other driver is normal.

A detailed description of the MARX Analyzer functionality can be found in the MARX Analyzer Application Notes.

Do I need to write my own application to configure/program the CRYPTO-BOX before shipping it to my end-users?

This is not necessary. Under Windows you can use the Smarx Application Framework (part of the CRYPTO-BOX Protection Kit) to program the CRYPTO-BOX units. See Smarx Compendium, chapter 4.5 for more details.

Furthermore with SmrxProg there is a command line tool available (for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X) which takes care of CRYPTO-BOX formatting. It provides a high grade of automation, because the formatting process can be controlled within other applications or script-files. Please refer to the Smarx Compendium, chapter 7 for more details.

I cannot reproduce the read/write performance of the CRYPTO-BOX written in your technical data.

The data inthe comparison table are average values measured on USB 2.0 ports. They may vary, depending on hardware and operating system and may be slightly slower on USB 3.0 ports.