USB flash memory and security chips have a finite lifespan. After a decade, bit rot or physical wear is common.
Since you cannot easily write this data to a standard thumb drive, an "emulator" is used. This is a driver that tricks the software into thinking the physical USB key is plugged in when it is actually just a set of instructions in your system registry. Step-by-Step: Backup and Recovery Concepts 1. Identifying the Dongle Type
Mastering USB Dongle Backup and Recovery: A Guide for 2012 ProExe Users
Software protected by 2012-era ProExe protocols often relies on older driver frameworks. The risk of losing access is high for several reasons: