User-administered license state verification

One or more computer-readable storage media comprising computer-executable instructions for escrowing product keys of software applications being offered for sale and performing a one-way product verification thereon, the computer-executable instructions directed to steps comprising:

• receiving one or more product keys associated with one or more software applications being offered for sale through an online merchant;
• storing the one or more product keys in an escrow database;
• receiving a request to perform a pre-purchase validation of at least one software application from among the one or more software applications being offered for sale;
• selecting, from among the stored one or more product keys, at least one product key associated with the at least one software application;
• asymmetrically encrypting the selected at least one product key so that it can be decrypted by a validation authority;
• and
• providing the asymmetrically encrypted version of the at least one product key to the validation authority.

A system for performing a one-way product verification of copies of software applications, the system comprising:

• a software manufacturer that created the software applications, the software manufacturer comprising a first interface for receiving one or more product keys associated with specific copies of the software applications and providing, in return, validity information about the specific copies of the software applications;
• and
• a validation authority comprising:
• a second interface for receiving asymmetrically encrypted product keys associated with the specific copies of the software applications and providing, in return, signed validity information about the specific copies of the software applications;
• and one or more computer-readable media comprising a first set of computer-executable instructions for performing a one-way product verification, the first set of computer-executable instructions directed to steps comprising:
• receiving the asymmetrically encrypted product keys;
• decrypting the asymmetrically encrypted product keys to obtain the one or more product keys associated with the specific copies of the software applications;
• providing, to the first interface of the software manufacturer, the one or more product keys;
• receiving, from the software manufacturer, the validity information about the specific copies of the software applications;
• signing the validity information;
• and transmitting the signed validity information.