What Is DRM?
Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a set of technologies used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders, and content distributors to control how their digital content is used. In the context of online video streaming, DRM primarily serves to prevent unauthorized downloading, copying, and redistribution of video content.
How DRM Works in Video Streaming
DRM-protected video is encrypted before it is stored or transmitted. When a viewer requests the video, the player must obtain a license key from a license server to decrypt and play the content. This license can include restrictions on how the content can be used — for example, limiting playback to a specific device, time period, or number of views. Without the valid license, the video cannot be decrypted or played.
Major DRM Systems
Widevine (by Google) is used in Chrome, Firefox, and Android devices. FairPlay (by Apple) is used in Safari and iOS. PlayReady (by Microsoft) is used in Edge and Windows. To protect content across all major platforms, video hosts typically implement all three DRM systems — a practice known as multi-DRM.
DRM vs. Other Protection Methods
DRM is the most robust form of video content protection. Other methods such as disabling right-click, hiding the video URL, or using token-based authentication provide some protection but can generally be bypassed by determined users. DRM, especially when combined with encrypted HLS (AES-128) or MPEG-DASH with Common Encryption (CENC), provides a much higher level of security.
DRM and Kavimo
Kavimo supports DRM protection for hosted video content, ensuring that your premium videos cannot be downloaded or played outside of your authorized player. This is essential for paid content, online courses, and any video where protecting intellectual property is a priority.