What are the Best Strategies for Deploying DRM for OTT?

Advanced multi-DRM systems should serve as the foundation for any robust content protection policy implemented by service providers.

FREMONT, CA: Digital right management (DRM) refers collectively to the techniques and systems used to safeguard and commercialize copyrighted digital content and intellectual property rights. They ensure that such content is not misused or stolen, particularly when sent over the internet via IP pay-TV providers.

Historically, digital content has been encrypted, with individuals possessing a secret key who can decrypt and read the content. When it became clear that the key alone was insufficient to safeguard content, DRM and other business rules governing how, when, and by whom a key might be used were implemented. If one is curious about how to deploy DRM, the method is generally the same regardless of which provider he/she chooses.

How DRM Works in OTT:

Uploading: DRM protection occurs when content is uploaded to an OTT platform. At this point, the metadata associated with the content is captured and securely saved for later retrieval — for example, when showing the content details on the video platform.

Encoding and encryption: The digital content is encoded and encrypted immediately upon upload using a cryptographic key. This can be accomplished before or during the streaming process, depending on the platform. DRM thus contributes to the protection of content while it is in transit between the platform server and the client.

Authentication and playback: The DRM client and the DRM licensing server exchange mutual certificates to ensure that only authenticated viewers can access protected digital content. Thus, content is distributed exclusively to trusted playback systems—many major operating systems and browsers already include a native trusted client.

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