Software Tracker

Posted Date: Total Responses: 0 Posted By: Shanthi M Member Level: Gold Points/Cash: 20

In order to find the Unauthorized Software in the system, we have to track the software installed in the system. In Registry Editor, Registry Key is assigned for each software when installing the software. Software Name, Version and Publisher are also saved in the Registry. Using Registry Key, we can find the software installed in the system.

Namespace:

Since tracking the software installed in the system depends upon the system registry, we have to use the Registry Class. For manipulating system registry, we should include the namespace as follows:

Microsoft.Win32

Using this namespace, we can get the software name and version by using the class Registry and RegistryKey.

Registry:

The Windows Registry is a repository of information about the operating system and the applications. It is organized in a tree format, based on the registry key assigned for software.
Registry Class contains the set of keys in the registry. Registry Key acts as a folder in windows explorer. It can have sub keys which hold application specific information.

The keys exposed by Registry are:

CurrentUser
Information about user preferences is stored under CurrentUser registry key.

LocalMachine
Configuration information for the local machine is stored under LocalMachine registry key.

ClassesRoot
Information about types and their properties is stored under ClassesRoot registry key.

Users
Information about the default user configuration is stored under Users registry key.

PerformanceData
Performance information for software components is stored under PerformanceData registry key.

CurrentConfig
Non-user-specific hardware information is stored under CurrentConfig registry key.

DynData
Dynamic data is stored under DynData registry key.

First we have to identify the root key under which we want to store information. Then only we can use the RegistryKey class to manipulate the values for a given key.

We can see the Registry Editor by typing ‘regedit' command in Run

Initializing Registry Path:

For each software in the system, we have the registry entry in the registry editor. In Registry Editor, we can find the software name using the registry key which is stored in the path given below:
"SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\UnInstall"

Fetching software using Registry Key:

// Storing the registry path in the string
string SoftwareKey = "SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\UnInstall";

// Using registry path, get the registry key by opening the sub key of root node LocalMachine from the registry editor
RegistryKey rkRegistryKey = Registry.LocalMachine.OpenSubKey(SoftwareKey);

// Getting software name from the registry key
rkRegistryKey.GetValue("DisplayName");

// Getting software version from the registry key
rkRegistryKey.GetValue("DisplayVersion");

// Getting publisher of the software from the registry key
rkRegistryKey.GetValue("Publisher");

// Getting software installed date from the registry key
rkRegistryKey.GetValue("InstallDate");

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Software Tracker (803-13044-Softwares.zip)

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