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:
1. 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).
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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:
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.