Irdeto, a player in digital platform cybersecurity, has announced the launch of a new and improved ActiveCloak for Media (ACM), a software digital rights management (DRM) software development kit (SDK).

This enhanced solution comprises multiple layers of security, ensuring content encryption keys cannot be illegally extracted from devices.

Irdeto ACM combines Irdeto’s patented Whitebox cryptography with source code obfuscation, anti-debugging and integrity verification to harden software DRM technology that is embedded into a video streaming application providing protection with integrated renewability and security diversification.

Content key extraction is the biggest piracy issue facing video streaming services and pay-TV operators. Many devices in use today lack hardware DRM protection and rely solely on its operating system software DRM, making them highly vulnerable to content key extraction. With content encryption keys in hand, pirates can deliver illegal services leading to missed revenue opportunities and increased CDN costs.

These vulnerable devices can be identified and their access to content could be revoked to prevent the distribution of pirated content, however, such a ‘blanket approach’ would impact legitimate paying subscribers. Millions of authorized subscribers could see their service cut off, generating customer frustration and flooding customer call centres with complaints, potentially resulting in customer churn and negatively impacting the service provider’s business.

Irdeto ACM helps to avoid the reputational and operational impact of a blanket approach by enabling video streaming services and pay-TV operators to take matters into their own hands by protecting the video applications themselves instead of relying on the device’s operating system DRM to secure the content on vulnerable devices. With Irdeto ACM, the content decryption will bypass the device’s operating system software DRM, taking place inside the video application itself instead.

Unlike proprietary DRM-based solutions in the market, Irdeto ACM works with any DRM server vendor, thus eliminating costly custom integrations. Its renewable security provides increased agility to deploy fast and respond efficiently to piracy attacks. It protects against pervasive threats to software security, including reverse engineering, software tampering, copying/cloning, and automated attacks while safely encrypting and decrypting data and communications.

“With the relaunch of Irdeto ACM, we are listening and responding to our customers’ needs,” said Andrew Bunten, Irdeto’s new Chief Operating Officer for Video Entertainment. “Irdeto ACM is a much-needed solution to address one of the biggest sources of piracy today, and we add another tool to our arsenal of anti-piracy services. Video service providers can pick and choose to meet a specific need or go for a broader solution set for “lens to screen” protection in their fight against piracy.”

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