How DRM works
DRM protection involves three components: encryption of the video content, a license server that issues decryption keys, and a client-side module (CDM) in the browser or device that handles decryption and playback. The Encrypted Media Extensions (EME) API provides a standard interface between web browsers and DRM systems.
- The video content is encrypted during encoding using AES-128 or CBCS encryption
- The player requests a license from the DRM server, providing authentication credentials
- The license server validates the request and returns decryption keys with usage rules
- The browser's CDM (Content Decryption Module) decrypts and renders the video in a protected pipeline
Major DRM systems
Three DRM systems dominate the video industry. Each is tied to specific platforms, so multi-DRM support is required for cross-device compatibility.
| DRM System | Owner | Platforms |
|---|
| Widevine | Google | Chrome, Android, Chromecast, smart TVs |
| FairPlay | Apple | Safari, iOS, Apple TV, macOS |
| PlayReady | Microsoft | Edge, Windows, Xbox, some smart TVs |
Alternatives to full DRM
Full DRM (Widevine, FairPlay) requires complex infrastructure and licensing agreements. For many use cases, lighter protection mechanisms provide sufficient security at lower cost and complexity.
- Signed URLs: time-limited, tamper-proof links that expire after a set duration
- Domain restrictions: videos can only be embedded on authorized domains
- Token authentication: viewers must present a valid session token to access content
- Geo-blocking: restrict access based on the viewer's geographic location
- Watermarking: invisible forensic marks to trace leaks to specific viewers
What Videas protects, and what it does not
Videas does not encrypt videos and does not issue licences: there is no DRM in the strict sense. Protection rests on three mechanisms. Stream URLs are signed and expire quickly, so a copied address plays nothing. Domain restriction stops your embed code from running anywhere other than the sites you have authorised. On a channel, access can additionally require an account, a password, an active subscription or a purchase. What none of this stops: someone entitled to watch can film their screen, and no setting will prevent that.
Frequently asked questions
What does DRM stand for?+
DRM stands for Digital Rights Management. It refers to encryption-based technologies that prevent unauthorised access, copying and redistribution of video content.
Does Videas support DRM?+
Not in the strict sense: videos are not encrypted and there is no Widevine, FairPlay or PlayReady licence server. Protection comes from short-lived signed URLs, domain restriction, password protection and, on a channel, access control by account, subscription or purchase.
What is the difference between DRM and a signed URL?+
DRM encrypts the file and entrusts the key to a licence server; a signed URL encrypts nothing, it makes the address temporary. The first protects the content even once downloaded, the second protects access to it.
How does a signed URL protect a video?+
The player never receives a fixed address. It first gets a playback token, valid for four hours, then exchanges that token for signed stream URLs that expire much faster and are renewed during playback. An address copied into another tab stops working within minutes.
Can I stop my video being embedded on another site?+
Yes, with domain restriction: you list the authorised domains, and the embed code refuses to start anywhere else.
Can a video be password-protected?+
Yes. The password is requested before playback starts, on a private link as well as on a live stream.
Are my videos encrypted anywhere?+
In transit and at rest, yes: everything travels over TLS and files are encrypted on the Videas infrastructure. What is not encrypted is the stream handed to the viewer's player — which is precisely what DRM would do.
Does DRM prevent screen recording?+
Full DRM makes software capture harder on some platforms, but no protection stops someone filming a screen with a phone. That limit is common to every system, encryption included.
Is DRM required for monetised video?+
Not necessarily. Many VOD platforms rely on signed URLs and domain restrictions rather than full DRM. The right level of protection depends on the value of the content and the risk you accept.
How do I protect access to paid content?+
On a channel, access is tied to the viewer's account: an active subscription, an outright purchase or a valid rental. Payments run through Stripe and Videas takes 15% of each sale.