SERVtomaste/Solidworks Licenses/solidworks-privacy-lockdown.md

SolidWorks Privacy Lockdown - Block Telemetry, Preserve Licensing

Context

I own a perpetual SolidWorks license (~$20K CAD) from Dassault Systèmes. I use it for proprietary engineering work through my consulting company (Atomaste Solution), including development of my Atomizer optimization framework.

I want to block all telemetry, analytics, and unnecessary communications with Dassault servers while preserving the ability to transfer my license between my workstation (ThinkPad P16) and laptop as needed.

Objective

Implement "Option 2" - block all telemetry/tracking permanently, but allow licensing servers so license activation/deactivation works seamlessly.

System Information

• OS: Windows 11 Pro
• SolidWorks installation path: C:\Program Files\SOLIDWORKS Corp\ (verify actual path)
• User has admin access
• Perpetual license (not subscription)

Tasks

1. Identify All SolidWorks Executables

Find all executables in the SolidWorks installation that might phone home:

• Main application (SLDWORKS.exe)
• Update services
• Background schedulers
• Any 3DEXPERIENCE components

2. Update Hosts File

Add blocking rules to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts for telemetry domains while explicitly preserving licensing domains.

Block these (telemetry/analytics):

127.0.0.1 api.3ds.com
127.0.0.1 www.3ds.com
127.0.0.1 swym.3ds.com
127.0.0.1 iam.3ds.com
127.0.0.1 cas.3ds.com
127.0.0.1 eu1-ds-iam.3dexperience.3ds.com
127.0.0.1 eu1-ds.3dexperience.3ds.com
127.0.0.1 update.solidworks.com
127.0.0.1 www.solidworks.com
127.0.0.1 sentry.io
127.0.0.1 o136956.ingest.sentry.io
127.0.0.1 telemetry.solidworks.com
127.0.0.1 analytics.3ds.com
127.0.0.1 collect.3ds.com

DO NOT block these (licensing):

# activation.solidworks.com - REQUIRED for license transfer
# license.solidworks.com - REQUIRED for license transfer  
# licensing.solidworks.com - REQUIRED for license transfer

3. Disable Update Services

Disable these Windows services if they exist:

• SOLIDWORKS Update Publisher Service
• Any other SW background services that aren't needed for core functionality

Get-Service -DisplayName "*SOLIDWORKS*" | Format-Table Name, DisplayName, Status, StartType

Then disable non-essential ones.

4. Configure Firewall Rules

Create firewall rules that:

• Block outbound connections for update/telemetry executables
• Allow SLDWORKS.exe to reach licensing servers only (if possible with Windows Firewall)

If granular domain blocking per-exe isn't possible with Windows Firewall, the hosts file blocking is sufficient - just document this.

5. Disable In-App Telemetry

Document the registry keys or provide instructions for disabling:

• Anonymous usage data collection
• Automatic update checks
• 3DEXPERIENCE connection prompts

Registry locations to check:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SolidWorks\
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SolidWorks\

Look for keys related to:

• Analytics
• Telemetry
• Updates
• CustomerExperience

6. Create Verification Script

Create a PowerShell script that verifies the lockdown is in place:

• Check hosts file entries exist
• Check services are disabled
• Check firewall rules are active
• Test that licensing domains are still reachable

7. Create Documentation

Provide a summary document with:

• What was blocked and why
• What was preserved and why
• How to temporarily disable blocking if needed (e.g., for troubleshooting)
• How to verify license transfer still works

Success Criteria

1. SolidWorks launches and runs normally
2. No connections to telemetry/analytics endpoints
3. License activation/deactivation works
4. Solution persists across reboots
5. Clear documentation for future reference

Notes

• Take a backup of hosts file before modifying
• Document original service states before disabling
• All changes should be reversible
• Test license deactivation/reactivation after implementation to confirm it works