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Multi DRM: The Complete Guide to Multi-Platform Content Protection
Seamlessly secure content with PlayReady, Widevine, and FairPlay—built for platform compatibility, adaptive scalability, and flawless playback.
99.99% uptime guarantee
Trusted by the world’s most-recognized companies.
Unified security isn’t just better, it’s essential.
Streamlined Management
Centralized key management and licensing across all platforms reduces costs and simplifies operations.
Security across Platforms
Consistent security policies deployed simultaneously across all platforms closes vulnerability gaps.
Broad Support
One integration, one API, instant support for all major DRM platforms.
Built to Evolve
Future-proof architecture that adapts to new platforms and standards automatically.
The challenge and the solution.
Managing multiple DRMs separately while ensuring scalability is an expensive and difficult task.
Problem
- Software-level DRMs are vulnerable to key extraction attacks.
- Screen recording of DRM video is one of the most popular security holes.
- Credential sharing reduces your content business revenue.
- Unauthorized access to DRM contents can drive up your infrastructure costs (CDN leeching).
DoveRunner multi-DRM: Unified protection that is scalable and cost-effective.
DoveRunner Advantage
- Applying hardware DRM and License Cipher effectively prevent the attack.
- Enable Widevine L1 on Chrome to resolve the screen recording issues.
- Concurrent stream limiting based on DRM license renewal prevents account sharing.
- Monitor and block suspicious users or devices with Analytics Dashboard and DRM Blacklist feature.
Our users speak for us.
Rated 4.8 by engineers, consultants, and C-suite executives.
The support team is fantastic and always responds promptly
Marketing Strategist
One concern with security solutions is their impact on user experience. However, this solution pleasantly surprised me. There was no noticeable lag, and the app’s performance remained smooth and responsive.
Verified User on G2
It guarantees the safety of our users’ information by providing protection against attacks.
Antonio A
Public Relations
As a Xamarin developer, what I like most is the good performance of the application after protection, with isolated cases of crashes, which competitors cannot provide.
Maksym N
Mobile Developer
Provides the necessary protection against any potential attacks. The customer support team is always responsive and helpful.
Govind J
Software Engineer
Provided great security by blocking apps on emulator completely
Pramod B
Business
DoveRunner ensures that any application cannot take the device’s root access and makes it secure before and after the installation phase.
Anil C
Consultant
A promising challenger product in an overwhelming list of security applications
Verified user on Gartner
It has helped us a lot in putting a check on threats from hacker gaming platforms.
Verified user on Gartner
Its ability to obfuscate code is very good, it can also hide and mess up the whole directory tree, you can’t find any hardcode in the old app on it, even in the small code, it almost always encrypts the source code. It’s almost impossible to do any static analysis on it.
Nguyen H
Security Researcher
Three pillars of complete
content protection.
Designed for global scale, our license and key management service seamlessly supports all major DRM platforms.
- Global delivery of DRM licenses at scale with high availability.
- Support for hardware-level security with multi-key encryption.
- License Cipher protects DRM keys from key extraction attacks.
- Enables concurrent stream limits to handle account sharing.
- Blacklist management for suspicious users or devices.
- Dashboard for analytics, error diagnostics, and usage insights.
Multiple packaging methods to encrypt and protect your content, with support for all major streaming formats and DRM standards.
- CPIX API for third party encoder / transcoder / packager solutions.
- SPEKE v1 and v2 support for AWS Elemental and Media Services.
- DRM plugin for JIT packaging with Wowza Streaming Engine.
- CLI packager for Windows, Linux and macOS environments.
- Managed transcoding and packaging service (T&P).
SDKs engineered for seamless integration across all major platforms, with robust security features and offline capabilities.
- Prebuilt SDKs and samples for quick integration on client platforms.
- DRM content download for secure offline playback.
- Framework support for Flutter, ReactNative and more.
- Key extraction attack detection and blocking with License Cipher.
- Tamper detection and runtime protection with app security.
Every ecosystem, every device.
Seamless security from source to screen in five simple steps.
Trial Sign-up.
Start your POC with a one-month free trial.
Content Packaging.
Encrypt your DASH/HLS/CMAF contents with any open source or commercial solution of your choice.
License Token or Proxy Integration.
Implement license token generation at your backend for direct or proxy-based
user authentication.
Client Integration.
Integrate DRM license requests in your service application using client SDKs
and samples.
Content Distribution and License Delivery.
Deliver protected content via your CDN while our cloud service manages license issuance for secure playback.
We have got your back(end).
Pre- integrated with Forensic Watermarking
Enable detection and traceability of content leaks without additional setup or system modifications.
Highly Scalable Architecture
Cloud-based, multi-region service architecture ensures global delivery of DRM licenses with low latency, even during traffic spikes.
Concurrent Stream Limiting (CSL)
Identify and limit simultaneous streams per user account, ensuring fair usage and deterring credential sharing.
Prevention of Key Extraction
Additional security measures detect and block unauthorized license requests from key extraction tools that exploit software DRM vulnerabilities.
Data Analytics and Machine Learning for Piracy Detection
DRM dashboard visualizes insightful analysis on DRM log data such as popular content, client platforms, frequent errors and suspicious activities.With AI/ML-driven piracy detection on the horizon, the fight against content theft is getting even smarter.
Your resource library for expert insights.
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Protection tailored to your world.
Media and Entertainment
Stream premium content globally with studio-grade security built in.
Sports and Live Events
Protect high-value live streams with forensic watermark to identify and block pirated re-streaming.
Ed-tech
Secure valuable course content while ensuring seamless access for authorized students.
What is DRM?
Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a set of technologies used to control how digital content, whether videos, music, ebooks, or software, is used and distributed. Its core purpose is to protect the rights of content creators and publishers by stopping unauthorized copying, sharing, or modifying of protected content.
Originally developed in the early 2000s in response to rampant piracy, DRM is now embedded into almost every major digital content platform. It helps entertainment and media companies safeguard their content against any piracy, thus preventing any revenue loss.
In today’s subscription-driven, multi-device landscape, Video-DRM protection is no longer just a safeguard, but it is a necessity. As piracy tactics grow more sophisticated, content protection strategies must evolve too. That’s where modern multi-DRM solutions play a crucial role.
How Does Digital Rights Management (DRM) Work?
Think of DRM as a digital lock around your content. Only users with the right key (license) can open and view it.
Here’s how multi-DRM integration works under the hood:
Encryption
Before distribution, the content is encrypted using DRM-compatible algorithms. This process converts the original media into an unreadable format that can only be decrypted and played using a valid license (decryption key).
License Generation
When a user attempts to play the content, their device sends a license request to the DRM license server. If all conditions, such as a valid subscription, geographic eligibility, and device compatibility, are met, then the server responds with a license containing the decryption key.
Authentication & Authorization
The DRM system verifies the identity of the user and the device to ensure they are authorized to access the content. These checks may include verifying login status, device ID, IP address, etc., which is handled seamlessly in the background.
Secure Playback
Once the license is received, the content is decrypted and played within a secure, trusted environment such as a DRM-compatible web browser, mobile app, or smart TV, ensuring that the content cannot be intercepted, copied, or tampered with.
Multi-DRM: What DRM Systems are Available?
To reach users across every screen, phones, browsers, and smart TVs, you need multi-DRM video protection. That means supporting all major DRM systems used by different platforms and devices. Here’s a breakdown of the most widely used DRM technologies:
- Used By: Android, Chrome, Smart TVs, and Chromecast
- Common In: Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, etc.
- Strengths: Widely supported, open to many OEMs, three security levels (L1–L3)
- Used By: Safari browser, iOS, macOS, and Apple TV
- Common In: Apple TV+, iTunes, Disney+, etc.
- Strengths: Deep hardware integration with Apple devices; high security and performance
- Used By: Windows, Edge, Xbox, and some smart TVs
- Common In: Hulu, BBC iPlayer, legacy OTT services
- Strengths: Enterprise-grade DRM with broad commercial support
- Used By: Huawei smartphones, HarmonyOS devices, and Huawei AppGallery ecosystem
- Strengths: Designed for Huawei device users in Asia, Eastern Europe, or Latin America, and supports hardware-level protection
WisePlay DRM is Huawei’s proprietary DRM system, now growing in relevance with the rise of HarmonyOS and Huawei’s increasing market share outside of the Google ecosystem. If your audience includes Huawei device users (especially in Asia, Eastern Europe, or Latin America), WisePlay DRM support can be essential.
DRM System Compatibility Overview
| DRM System | Key Platforms | Key Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Widevine | Android, Chrome, Smart TVs | Global video streaming |
| FairPlay | iOS, Safari, Apple TV | Apple-first content distribution |
| PlayReady | Windows, Edge, Xbox | Enterprise and legacy platforms |
| WisePlay | Huawei devices (HarmonyOS, AppGallery, newer Android) | Global Huawei reach |
How Can I Enable DRM?
If you’re distributing premium content, enabling Multi-DRM services is essential. Here’s how to start:
-
Choose a Multi-DRM Provider
Choose Doverunner—a robust Multi DRM-as-a-Service platform that supports Widevine, FairPlay, PlayReady, and WisePlay out of the box. It streamlines Multi-DRM encryption, licensing, and playback across all major devices. -
Use DRM-Compatible Tools
With Doverunner, content encryption and licensing are handled seamlessly. Its platform includes integrated DRM-ready encoding and a fully managed license server that supports all major DRMs—including Widevine, FairPlay, PlayReady, and WisePlay. -
Player Integration
Doverunner eases multi-DRM player integration by providing sample code for web browser and app integration. This ensures smooth and secure streaming across web, mobile, and smart TV platforms. -
Test Across Devices
Always test playback on real devices, including Android, iOS, smart TVs, and browsers, to confirm that licensing and decryption work flawlessly.
How to Implement DRM?
Here’s a step-by-step guide to fully integrating video DRM into your media workflow:
Step 1: Define Your Strategy
- What content needs protection?
- Who is your audience?
- What devices and platforms are you targeting?
Step 2: Pick Your DRM Stack
- Multi-DRM provider for license management.
- Encoding pipeline with encryption support.
- Video player with DRM capabilities.
Step 3: Encrypt Your Content
With Doverunner, you don’t need external tools, as Multi-DRM encryption is built into the workflow.
Step 4: Set Up Licensing
Configure your backend server to handle
<and add token generation>
- Authentication (Who are you?)
- Authorization (What are you allowed to see?)
- Policies (How long can you watch it? Can you download it?)
Step 5: Integrate with Your App or Platform
Your front-end (web or mobile app) should:
- Request the license
- Handle playback
- Enforce restrictions
Step 6: Test and Monitor
- Perform real-world testing across platforms.
- Monitor playback logs, license issuance, and failure rates.
- Adjust policies as needed (e.g., geoblocking, device limits).
Other Security Layers to Protect Content
DRM is powerful, but even better when combined with other layers of protection:
-
Forensic Watermarking :
Embeds invisible user/session IDs in video to trace leaks. -
Tokenization :
Secures access links with short-lived, signed tokens (e.g., JWTs). -
Geofencing/IP Restrictions :
Prevents access from unauthorized regions or VPNs. -
HTTPS + Secure CDN :
Ensures encrypted delivery from origin to player. -
Playback Restrictions :
Limit playback to specific browsers, devices, or operating systems.
Digital Rights Management (DRM) Keywords & Technologies
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| License Acquisition | The process of obtaining a decryption key for playback. |
| Key Rotation | Changing the encryption key at regular intervals to reduce the risk of key exposure. |
| Content Encryption | Encrypting media files with DRM-supported algorithms to ensure controlled access. |
| DASH | Streaming protocol (Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP) supports Widevine and PlayReady DRM. |
| HLS | Apple’s streaming format (HTTP Live Streaming) supports FairPlay DRM. |
| MPEG-CENC | Common encryption standard used in DASH and HLS to enable multi-DRM compatibility. |
| Multi-DRM | A strategy to support multiple DRM systems across different platforms. |
Browser and Device Compatibility
Multi-DRM support ensures cross-platform compatibility, providing every user a seamless playback experience while keeping content protected.
| Platform/Browser | DRM Used |
|---|---|
| Chrome, Android | Widevine |
| Safari, iOS, Apple TV | FairPlay |
| Edge, Windows | PlayReady/Widevine |
| Huawei Devices | WisePlay |
How Can I Update Old Embed Codes for DRM?
If you’re still using basic <video> tags or static MP4 files, it’s time to upgrade. Here’s how to modernize your setup for Multi DRM support:
- Adopt adaptive streaming formats like DASH (for Widevine/PlayReady) or HLS (for FairPlay).
- Use a DRM-compatible player recommended by your DRM provider (e.g., Doverunner’s sample integrations).
- Update your code to include DRM license server URLs and playback restriction policies.
- Add token-based authorization to secure streaming URLs and prevent unauthorized access.
- Test playback across major platforms—browsers, mobile apps, and smart TVs—to ensure full compatibility.
Frequently Asked Questions on Multi DRM
Why DRM is Better Than Standard Encryption?
Standard encryption protects data during transit or storage, but once decrypted, it loses control. DRM goes further. It not only encrypts content but also manages how, where, and by whom it can be used. Key advantages of Multi-DRM over traditional encryption include:
- Access Control: Multi-DRM technology ensures that only authorized users can decrypt and view content.
- License Management: It dynamically issues licenses with specific rules (e.g., time limits, device restrictions).
- Authentication: DRM validates users and devices before granting playback rights.
- Usage Policies: Controls like HDCP enforcement, playback resolution limits, and download restrictions are built in.
What do Google and Apple do to Maintain DRMs & Security?
Google (Widevine) and Apple (FairPlay) continuously evolve their DRM systems to stay ahead of piracy:
- Device-Level Integration: Widevine Level 1 and FairPlay utilize hardware-secure environments (Trusted Execution Environments, Secure Enclaves) to protect keys and playback.
- Frequent Audits: Both companies run rigorous audits and certifications for OEM partners.
- HDCP Enforcement: They require HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection) to prevent screen recording or HDMI ripping.
- Ongoing Updates: Widevine and FairPlay are updated with OS patches, browser updates, and new security policies to quickly plug vulnerabilities.
How Can I Integrate Video DRM for My Website or App?
Integrating DRM can be done in a few streamlined steps:
- Choose a Multi-DRM Provider like Doverunner to handle encryption, licensing, and multi-DRM delivery.
- Package Your Content using tools provided by your DRM vendor (e.g., built-in packagers, APIs).
- Embed the Player SDK into your web or mobile app. This enables secure license requests and playback.
- Connect to a License Server that issues keys based on your access policies (e.g., geo-restrictions, subscriptions).
- Test on All Devices to ensure compatibility across iOS, Android, smart TVs, and browsers.
