Digital Rights Management (DRM) is the management of authorized access to your files. These files could be anything – from a piece of 3-minute music to a 30-hour long course.
Since the dawn of the internet, DRM has been a major concern of most enterprises and sellers online.
In this article, we will tell you how privacy matters, what DRM software is & how it works, and discuss some of the best DRM software in the business.
How Does Privacy Matters In This Digital Era?
As humans, we believe in the right to privacy. Yet, our subconscious mind believes privacy is a myth.
In the digital era, where every device you use collects data from you in one way or another – it becomes hard to believe that you still own your privacy.
Furthermore, this technological advancement has accelerated tension and incompatibility globally.
A significant threat also lies to businesses selling digital assets in the virtual space – Piracy.
As the name sounds, Piracy has something to do with stealing.
In common terms, piracy is the process of downloading and distributing copyrighted content such as music, videos, or software without permission. In 2020, the US alone contributed 12.5 billion visits to piracy sites.
So, what drives the growth of piracy?
As per Dataprot, the annual global revenue losses via digital piracy range somewhere between $40 to $97 billion.
Today, with the rise of peer-to-peer file exchange websites, online piracy has been the bane of copyrighted material.
Everything is now available on torrent sites – cracker software, the latest movie, courses; you name it.
As per the US chamber of commerce’s global policy center, the US economy suffers an annual loss of $30 billion due to online piracy.
With the emerging concepts of apps and websites, accessing pirated content has become a cup of tea.
However, many laws are under practice to prevent such copyright infringement. Yet, these laws are stringent enough to find a way out. DRM software has been a ray of hope for companies and businesses selling digital assets in these challenging times.
Let’s understand more about what DRM software is and how it helps prevent such faulty downloads.
What is DRM Software & What Does It Do?
With millions of new content uploaded on the web every minute, it’s hard to keep track of everything with a single gatekeeper.
Companies leverage DRM software and tools to track their digital content across platforms.
Digital rights management(DRM) is the strategic use of technology and systems to prevent the unauthorized use of copyrighted content anywhere.
In a way, digital rights management allows content creators to control what paying users can do with their works.
For companies, DRM tools can help prevent duplication or unauthorized redistribution of their digital assets.
Now, moving forward, let’s understand how and when we can use DRM technology.
DRM systems involve encrypted codes that prevent copying or limiting the time or number of devices you can use to access a product.
Content creators can limit or restrict what users can do with their material and allow only those with the decryption key to access it.
If we summarize what DRM actually does, it allows you to:
- Restrict or prevent users from tampering/sharing/printing your content
- Prevent users from taking screenshots of your content
- Set a custom end date on your document or media, after which it becomes inaccessible
- Limits content access to only specific IP addresses, locations, or devices
- Place dynamic watermarks on artworks and documents to establish ownership
Now that you know the what and how of DRM software, let’s see some of the best DRM Software to protect your digital properties.
Digify
Digify is an easy-to-use DRM software that helps you prevent infringements and manage the rightful distribution of your content.
It allows you to make data-driven decisions with comprehensive insights and also helps you streamline your workflow.
Features
- Access Control: Grant or revoke access to individuals and control how they can view your content, set custom expiration to allow access for a while
- Controlled Distribution: Decide who can view/print/download your files and automatically watermark all your documents to prevent fraud.
- Tracking & Analytics: Get detailed reports on when, where, and how someone interacted with your files
- Real-Time Notifications: Get email and mobile notifications whenever someone accesses your files
Digify is trusted by the likes of LinkedIn, WeWork, and BCG. Over 350,000 professionals across 138 countries use it.\
PallyCon
PallyCon is a 360-degree multi-DRM service that helps individuals and enterprises to secure content.
It works on a cloud-based end-to-end encryption model, which allows you to secure your digital content quickly and easily.
Features
- Club-Based SaaS: Multi-DRM service is built on AWS (Amazon Web Services) and is pre-integrated with its Elemental Media Services via SPEKE API
- Extensive Reach: Region-specific service architecture for better performance and reliability across global content services
- Forensic Watermarking: Easily embed Multi-DRM and watermark into your content for premium security
- Easy-To-Use: Easily integrate Multi-DRM with various HTML5 players to secure your web content services
PallyCon provides an attractive range of services with a free trial. You can start using the platform for as low as $300/month.
Widevine DRM
Widewine is a DRM licensing and encryption technology brought to you by Alphabet. It’s widely used by Google Chrome, Brave, Firefox, and many others as a content protection system.
Apart from computers, it also protects content on Android devices, Android TV, and Chromecast.
Features
- Content Protection: Broader coverage of consumer devices and pre-integrated content protection platforms for flexibility
- Video Playback: Advanced HTML5 video player with high-quality streaming, QoS, and accessibility across multiple devices
- One-Time Encryption: Encrypt your content with Widevine DRM once and stream it across the industry’s trusted video containers such as MP4 and WebM
- Device Security: Factory provisioned key boxes for secure decryption and high-end content protection
Content creators and OTT platforms use Widevine to ensure uninterrupted revenue flow by restricting unauthorized content distribution like video piracy.
Seclore
Seclore deals in Enterprise Digital Right Management (EDRM) solutions. Its DRM architecture is engineered to manage enterprise-level content security systems.
Seclore’s EDRM automatically adds micro digital rights to files and content as they are downloaded, shared, or used anywhere else.
Features
- Easy Management: The command-and-control center allows you to easily manage usage policies, user permissions, protected files, and activity logs under a single dashboard
- One-Click Protection: Set automated or manual protection methods for your files with a click
- Easy Authentication: Integrated Identity Federation system allows users to authenticate quickly using SSO, social media, and web directories
- DLP Systems: Pre-integrated Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Systems to automatically secure files discovered by DLP
- Data-Centric Security: Seclore’s Enterprise Content Management (ECM) systems automatically add data-centric security at the point of download
Seclore provides cost-effective EDRM services for enterprise-level businesses. Its premium services are trusted by 100s of Global 2000 companies across the globe.
RedPoints
RedPoints is the most widely used digital revenue recovery platform based out of Barcelona.
It automatically finds and removes unauthorized or pirated content that is being resold online.
Features
- AI-Powered Search: DRM tools scan marketplaces 24/7, with advanced photo analysis tools to identify potential infringements and ensure accuracy
- Test Purchases: Run multiple test purchases to verify how your products are being resold without authorization
- Automatic Enforcement: Initiate takedown process immediately after spotting a pirated product activation key
- Analytics & Reports: Obtain metrics to analyze the impact of your data protection efforts and use insights to make data-driven decisions
RedPoints is a scalable, cost-effective DRM software. Over 1,000 companies leverage RedPoints to prevent piracy and unauthorized content distribution and regain their stolen revenue.
CapLinked
CapLinked is a cloud-based file sharing and document management platform. It helps businesses securely share confidential documents, handle contract negotiations, and manage merger & acquisition activities.
FileProtect is CapLinked’s proprietary DRM tool for controlling access to your most important documents.
Features
- Complete Access Control: Get full control of who can view/print/download your files; revoke or restrict access with a click
- Activity Tracking: Streamline your workflow and make data-driven decisions by tracking daily activities in the browser in real-time
- Custom Integrations: Enterprise-grade security from FileProtect will safeguard your documents from getting leaked and ensure you stay compliant
CapLinked encrypts your confidential data with the strongest block chippers in the industry. You also get a free trial to the industry’s leading virtual data room.
VdoCipher
VdoChiper is a secure video hosting platform specially designed for e-learning platforms, media websites, and apps.
It helps businesses prevent illegal video downloads and increase revenue from authorized resellers.
Features
- DRM Encrypted Videos: DRM encrypted video streaming technology ensures that no downloader, plugin, or hack can download your content without authorization
- Dynamic Watermarking: Customizable watermarks to discourage screen capture on websites and apps
- Easily Embed Videos: Easily upload/import videos on your website or app from where users can download them securely.
- Dedicated Support: Trusted and reliable customer support services with 90% of queries resolved within 24 hrs
VdoChiper uses a combination of AWS servers and CDN infrastructure to provide Hollywood-certified DRMs, which makes it quite popular. It has over 2000+ business customers across 40+ countries.
Axinom
Axinom is a powerful multi DRM software for all your content protection needs. This DRM service is compared to Hollywood grade DRMs and supports securing 4K videos.
Axinom DRM comes in two variants – One for the online world and another for the disconnected environments.
Features
- Supports multiple key encryptions of different qualities to ensure premium content protection
- Extensive global outreach with a 99.99% SLA to avoid delay in license generation
- Highly configurable access control to support all levels of security across multiple devices
- Supports SPEKE 2.0 and offers simplified integrations with third-party systems, coders, and packages
- Disconnected DRM to ensure security requirements of onboard users
Axinom provides the building blocks of content-oriented strategies and workflows. It’s a robust DRM software to try out.
EditionGuard
EditionGuard is the industry’s favorite eBook DRM. It enables you to securely sell and fulfill eBook orders and control how your ebook content is shared across the web.
With EditionGuard, you can choose among three eBook DRMs – Adobe, Readium LCP, and Social.
Features
- Display Permission: Easily control durations for content viewership after download and set referred display expiration dates
- Copy Permission: Manually set copy permissions for a number of pages, frequency of copy, and set expiration dates for copying content
- Printing Protection: Decide who can download your E-book, in what quantity, and until when to restrict unauthorized printing
- Easy Setup: Easy to set up and integrate into your website or third-party software with real-time customer support
EditionGuard is the most recommended eBook DRM software by publishers, authors, and institutions. It has fulfilled 1 million eBooks protection and many more to join the count.
CastLabs
CaseLabs provides cloud-based DRM licensing services for worldwide digital video content. Its DRM service, known as DRMToday, delivers billions of licenses each month, reaching millions of devices every day.
With Castlabs, you get a high-end team of security specialists serving your purpose 24/7.
Features
- Global Outreach: Multi-regional AWS servers that are highly scalable and have a low-latency rate
- Quick Licensing: DRMtoday’s speedy network allows you to minimize your standard license delivery time for customers anywhere around the world
- Online Dashboard: Easy-to-understand frontend dashboard that lets you manage and monitor licensing activities
- VideoPlayer Convenience: Pre-integrated with CastLabs range of smart PRESTOplay playback SDKs; also works with third-party solutions
DRMToday is easily compatible with leading technologies such as Microsoft Azure, Fastly, Harmonic, etc. You just need to integrate a single API to get it up and running.
LockLizard
LockLizard provides a robust document copy protection framework that uses the US government’s strength encryption and public key technology to protect your documents.
It helps you secure files and protects PDFs from piracy threats without using passwords, plugins, or anything that compromises your document’s security.
Features
- Copy Proof: Document copy protection automatically disables modifying and sharing features on user’s devices to prevent your document from unauthorized sharing
- Self-Destruct Mechanism: Automatically expire document access based on specific views, prints, days, or a fixed date
- Dynamic Watermarks: Imprint customizable watermarks on your document to prevent it from getting altered even when accessed by unauthorized people
- Location Locking: Control BYOD and the location where documents are used with LockLizard’s region-specific location locker
- Stop Screenshots: Restrict PrintScreen and other third-party screen shooters from capturing unauthorized shots of your document.
LockLizard is a powerful DRM tool for sharing confidential documents within or outside the institution. You get a 15 days trial to test the platform out before investing.
DRM-X
DRM-X is the industry’s leading copy protection platform. Its DRM-X 4.0 adopts a unique security architecture to encrypt and protect your digital content in all formats.
The DRM-X platform includes:
- File Encryption
- Audio/Video Encryption
- VR Panoramic Video Encryption
- PDF Encryption
- Web Page (HTML DRM Encryption)
- Dynamic Website Encryption
- HHMeet (Zoom video conference protection)
Features
- Highly Secured Architecture: Specially engineered DRM-X 4.0 with Xvast packager to securely batch encrypt digital content
- Flexible Digital Watermark: Irremovable dynamic digital watermark to prevent the use of external devices from tampering/recording your content
- Stop Screen Recording: Haihaisoft smart prevents screen recording technology from automatically detecting third-party screen recording software and restricting it from recording your content.
- Seamless Integration: Easily integrate your website with the DRM-X platform with the help of the DRM-X 4.0 XML service interface
With DRM-X 4.0, you can eliminate all the problems of selling content without piracy. If you’re looking for an all-in-one DRM software, DRM-X might be the one!
Use Cases of DRM Software
Digital rights management is increasingly essential for content creators and businesses dealing with digital assets. Let’s have a look at a few common practices of DRM technology.
#1. Limit Access to Files
DRM technology helps authors, movie makers, musicians, and other content creators prevent the unauthorized use of their content. It protects their bottom line and ensures the proper distribution of their products.
A perfect example of this case is Apple iTunes. The iTunes store uses DRM software to limit the number of devices that can be used to play purchased audio files. Suppose you downloaded a song from the iTunes music store. The store collects data like your purchase details, usage activity, the device used, etc.
Thus, restricting you from playing iTunes music on any other unauthorized devices.
#2. Keep Your Digital Work Unaltered
The actual value of content lies in its originality. That’s why content creators make sure that their work is not disturbed in any form.
DRM technology ensures that the originality of the content is not altered. Plus, its usage aligns with the creator’s intended purpose.
For example, browsing through premium stock images, video, or audio comes along with licensing and usage rights.
These rights allow creators to present their content on the web without getting them altered or used by third-party users before buying them.
#3. Prevent Leaking Confidential Information
DRM systems also allow organizations to safeguard crucial documents from getting tampered with, leaked, or mishandled.
DRMs enable organizations to track who viewed the files, control access to these files, and manage how people can use the files.
If, by any chance, any confidential information gets leaked. DRM tools can investigate what and who caused the leak.
#4. Prevent Software Tampering
DRM technology prevents your software from running on a device on which third-party software is already running. This is essential to prevent other software from accessing the content of your software.
Microsoft software, such as windows or office programs, contains a DRM system known as Play Ready. This system restricts windows from running on a PC where other software is already in use, thus, preventing any unauthorized user or bot from crawling through its software’s content.
#5. Produce Content Safely
DRM software embeds a tracking ID on each piece of content to track usage and summarize every bit of information in a dashboard.
When creating marketing campaigns, DRM software can collect and manage contracts and agreements to get better insights into the terms of use and create content without getting into legal troubles.
Wrapping Up
While we have mentioned some of the best DRM tools here, you should always choose the one which best suits your organizational needs.
To ease your tool hunt, we’ve categorized the tools mentioned above based on their “Best For” use.
| Best For | DRM Software |
| Professionals seeking to share confidential documents for fundraising, financial transaction & deals | Digify, CapLinked, LockLizard, DRM-X |
| Enterprises/Global brands | RedPoints, Pallycon, Widevine, Seclore |
| Edtech, e-learning companies, and educational institutions | VdoCipher, Axinom |
| EBook retailers | EditionGuard |
| Offline Video protection and offload licensing | DRMToday |
Pro Tip: If your business is completely based on online selling, pick a DRM software that gives you multiple file protection in a single plan. This way, you can pivot when needed.