Digital Rights Management (DRM) has long been the backbone of content security for premium video, media libraries, and live sports broadcasts. In simple terms, DRM is a technology that ensures only authorised users can access and view your content. It works by encrypting the media file and issuing a secure license key to a user's device once they are authenticated. This process keeps your DRM-protected content safe by preventing unauthorised copying and distribution during transmission.
DRM is effective—but only up to a point.
Why DRM alone is not enough
A crucial flaw in relying solely on DRM is that its protection ends at the very last step: the point of consumption. In order for a user to actually watch a video, the content must be decrypted and rendered "in the clear" on their screen.
Once the video is displayed, it becomes vulnerable. Pirates can easily capture unprotected video streams using basic methods, such as HDCP stripping via HDMI outputs or screen capture via software such as OBS. This captured, high-quality copy is then illegally re-streamed across the internet. The DRM system has performed its job and protected the content up until the point of playback in a legitimate player. However, after this final decryption step, attackers can capture and restream the content back out to the internet.
Combatting CDN leeching
Any discussion on DRM vulnerability isn't complete without mention of CDN Leeching. This is a major problem for most CDNs, and a widely used mechanism for accessing content illegally. CDN leeching occurs when CDMs are compromised. This allows potential attackers to extract the keys used to decrypt the protected content. Once a pirate has extracted the decryption key, they can use it with an unofficial, unauthenticated player. This allows pirates to stream content directly from the distributor's CDN, bypassing the official player application and its protections.
To combat CDN leeching, it is important to understand where the DRM vulnerabilities originate. Often, this comes from poorly implemented or administered management, and a basic analysis and implementation of best practices can address some of the most common vulnerabilities. A great example of this is CDN tokenisation, a security process where the edge network validates a time-sensitive, IP-bound access key generated to ensure only authorised users can stream content, whilst blocking link-sharing and unauthorised requests. It is recommended to ensure strong CDN tokenisation, shorter DRM key durations and more regular rotations, along with frequent security audits. Security audits will offer platforms an invaluable opportunity to detect potential vulnerabilities before malicious actors exploit them, and to gain insights into security, performance, and more.
Taking control beyond DRM
Whilst DRM is critical, to achieve true end-to-end protection, content owners must deploy solutions that operate after the content has reached the consumer's device. A trusted anti-piracy partner can provide the comprehensive strategy needed to identify and disrupt piracy in the post-consumer world.
These solutions work in three key steps:
Monitor: Advanced global monitoring systems constantly scan the entire piracy landscape—including illegal streaming sites and social media—to quickly find instances of your stolen content.
Watermark: Distributed content is embedded with invisible identifiers (watermarks) unique to each end user. If a pirate captures and re-streams the video, this watermark allows the content owner to instantly trace the theft back to the specific account or distribution point that was compromised.
Disrupt: Once the source of the piracy is identified, appropriate action can be taken. This includes user account terminations, issuing automated takedowns, blocking pirate servers, and disrupting the illegal operation to win back lost revenue and safeguard your content's value.
End-to-end is critical
In summary, DRM protection is absolutely essential, but it is only a single link in the content protection chain; this chain is at its strongest when it incorporates all of the latest, most robust anti-piracy solutions that can adapt to changing piracy tactics.
To find out more about how to expand your content protection strategy beyond DRM, get in touch with one of our team today.
