Editing Keygen (section)

{{Short description|Computer program that can generate a product licensing key}}
{{For|programs which generate cryptographic keys|Key generator}}
{{more citations needed|date=June 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}

A '''key generator''' ('''keygen''') is a [[computer program]] that generates a [[product key|product licensing key]], such as a [[serial number]], necessary to [[Product activation|activate]] for use of a [[software application]]. Keygens may be legitimately distributed by software manufacturers for licensing software in commercial environments where software has been licensed in bulk for an entire site or enterprise, or they may be developed and distributed illegitimately in circumstances of [[copyright infringement]] or software piracy.

Illegitimate key generators are typically programmed and distributed by [[software cracking|software crackers]] in the [[warez scene]]. These keygens often play music (taking from the tradition of [[cracktro]]s), which may include the genres [[dubstep]], [[chiptunes]], sampled loops or anything that the programmer desires. Chiptunes are often preferred due to their small size. Keygens can have artistic user interfaces or kept simple and display only a cracking group or cracker's logo.