What is Windows Media DRM 10? .
The latest release of Windows Media DRM technology makes it possible to protect, deliver, and play individual, subscription, and promotional digital media content on computers, portable audio devices, Portable Media Center devices, or networked devices that are connected to an Internet protocol (IP) network. Windows Media DRM includes two new components, Windows Media DRM 10 for Portable Devices and Windows Media DRM 10 for Network Devices, as well as an updated Windows Media Rights Manager 10 SDK. These components allow for the seamless flow of content to almost any device, offer the widest range of purchase and rental options for digital media, and ensure the security of premium content as it flows from device to device

What is Windows Media Rights Manager?
Windows Media Rights Manager is the technology that allows you to package Windows Media DRM files and issues licenses. You can use Windows Media Rights Manager to encrypt a given digital media file, lock it with a key, and bundle additional information from the content provider. This results in a packaged file that can only be played by the person who has obtained a license. Windows Media Rights Manager can also act as the license clearing house, authenticating the consumer's request for a license and issuing the license to the user. Windows Media Rights Manager is made available as an SDK, and the current available version is the Windows Media Rights Manager 10.1 SDK.Windows Media Rights Manager is the technology that allows you to package Windows Media DRM files and issues licenses. You can use Windows Media Rights Manager to encrypt a given digital media file, lock it with a key, and bundle additional information from the content provider. This results in a packaged file that can only be played by the person who has obtained a license. Windows Media Rights Manager can also act as the license clearing house, authenticating the consumer's request for a license and issuing the license to the user. Windows Media Rights Manager is made available as an SDK, and the current available version is the Windows Media Rights Manager 10.1 SDK.

How does Windows Media DRM work?
The basic Windows Media DRM process is as follows:
1 Packaging
Windows Media Rights Manager packages the digital media file. The packaged file has been encrypted and locked with a key. This key is stored in an encrypted license, which is distributed separately. (This feature is unique to Windows Media Rights Manager.) Other information is added to the digital media file, such as the URL where the license can be acquired. This packaged digital media file is saved in Windows Media Audio format (file with a .wma file name extension) or Windows Media Video format (file with a .wmv file name extension).
2 Distribution
The packaged file can be placed on a Web site for download, placed on a digital media server for streaming, distributed on a CD, or e-mailed to consumers. Windows Media DRM permits consumers to send copy-protected digital media files to their friends as well
3 Establishing a license server
The content provider chooses a license clearing house that stores the specific rights or rules of the license and implements the Windows Media Rights Manager License Service. The role of the clearing house is to authenticate the consumer's request for a license. Digital media files and licenses are distributed and stored separately, making it easier to manage the entire system.
4 License acquisition
To play a packaged digital media file, the consumer must first acquire a license key to unlock the file. The process of acquiring a license begins automatically when the consumer attempts to acquire the packaged digital media file, acquires a pre-delivered license, or plays the file for the first time. Windows Media Rights Manager either sends the consumer to a registration page where information is requested or payment is required, or "silently" retrieves a license from a clearing house.
5 Playing the digital media file
To play the digital media file, the consumer needs a player that supports Windows Media DRM. The consumer can then play the file according to the rules or rights that are included in the license. Licenses can have different rights, such as start times and dates, duration, and counted operations. For instance, default rights may allow the consumer to play the digital media file on a specific computer and copy the file to a portable device. Licenses, however, are not transferable. If a consumer sends a packaged digital media file to a friend, this friend must acquire her own license to play the digital media file. This PC-by-PC licensing scheme ensures that the packaged digital media file can only be played by the computer that has been granted the license key for that file.

What are some of the features in Windows Media DRM?
Security :
Individualization
Windows Media DRM improves the security of the system by making each digital media player unique and linking the player to the host computer. This reduces the likelihood that a compromised player will be widely distributed on the Internet. With individualization, any compromised player can be identified and disabled in the licensing process.
Application exclusion
Windows Media DRM enables the license issuer to prohibit an application from playing certain packaged files.
DRM component exclusion
Windows Media DRM enables the license issuer to deny licenses to applications that use a DRM component that is known to be damaged or corrupted.
Secure Audio Path
Windows Media DRM ensures digital media file protection in the operating system from the player to the sound card driver in Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition, Microsoft Windows XP. This secure relationship reduces the likelihood that any unauthorized program will capture a digital media stream within a computer.

License Acquisition
License chaining
This feature allows content services to create ?root? licenses (which contain information that governs whether or not a file can be played, such as expiration date) and ?leaf? licenses for the content itself. This is useful for subscription services because only the single root license needs to be updated for each renewal period as opposed to renewing hundreds or thousands of individual content licenses.

License store performance
The redesigned license store reduces the time necessary to manage licenses.

Playback

Start and end times
Content providers can create specific playback time periods for their digital media files. For example, a rental model could be established where consumers could play back a streaming media file during a three-day period. This time period may begin some time in the future and last for a limited duration.

Playback duration
Content providers can specify an amount of time during which playback of a given digital media file is permitted. This time period may begin the first time the file is played or saved to a computer.

Counted operations
The single play or limited play option allows the content provider to limit the number of times that the consumer can play a digital media file.

Why is digital rights management important?

Digital media files can be easily copied and distributed without any reduction in quality. As a result, digital media files are being widely distributed on the Internet today, through both authorized and unauthorized distribution channels. Piracy is a concern when security measures are not in place to protect content. Digital rights management enables content providers to protect their content and maintain control over distribution. Content providers can protect and manage their rights by creating licenses for each digital media file. License registration procedures also give these companies important customer information. Such information helps content providers stay closer to their customers. Having a robust DRM system in place ensures that a wide variety of the highest-quality audio and video content is made available to consumers.

Security

How does Windows Media DRM protect digital content?
Microsoft Windows Media DRM uses a wide range of cryptographic and anti-piracy techniques to protect digital media content and its own integrity. Microsoft Windows Media Rights Manager, the technology that packages files and issues licenses, encrypts a given media file with a full-strength encryption algorithm. No decryption key is contained in the Windows Media Format file container. Decrypting an isolated Windows Media file would require breaking industrial-strength cryptographic algorithms.

How does Windows Media DRM protect content owners' rights during the transfer of digital media files?
Standard cryptographic protocols based on digital signatures are used for authentication throughout Windows Media DRM. For example, license servers use Windows Media DRM technologies to authenticate Windows Media DRM-based clients. These clients use digital certificates on their computers. The digital certificate's unique public key and version number identify the client. Licenses are issued only to authenticated clients. The digital media file key in the license is also encrypted in such a way that only the Windows Media DRM-based client software to which the key was issued can retrieve it. A digital signature further protects the usage rules from tampering.

How are media players protected with Windows Media DRM?
Microsoft must first give authorization to any company before it can incorporate Windows Media DRM into its media player. After being authorized, the company is provided with a certificate, which can be revoked if their player is compromised. Windows Media DRM run-time software requires authentication of license applications before the license server serves packaged digital media files to the application. The authentication protocol also establishes a session key, which is used to protect the integrity and secrecy of the data exchanged between the run-time software and the media player.

What is individualization?
Windows Media DRM individualizes the critical components of each run-time client. Individualization binds the run-time client to the computer on which the client was initially installed. Every consumer is given a different executable file and different certified license keys. This significantly reduces the danger of global breaks. If a specific DRM client becomes compromised, it can be barred from acquiring licenses for new digital media files.

How does Windows Media DRM support revocation?
Windows Media DRM supports revocation at several stages. First, the license server can crosscheck a list of compromised run-time clients and refuse service to those clients until they upgrade to a newer and more secure client. Second, it is also possible to revoke third-party applications that were previously enabled to work with Windows Media DRM, but which have since been compromised.

Does Windows Media DRM support "renewability"?
Yes. Renewability refers to the updating of DRM system components to enhance security. Windows Media DRM can be upgraded by a variety of triggers as Microsoft releases improved versions. These releases may be regular improvements in the overall security system or reactions to security threats. Content owners can also refuse to service requests from less secure clients unless the client upgrades or renews certain components.

What is Secure Audio Path?
All personal computer operating systems are vulnerable to attacks that seek to replace device drivers. For example, a digital media file is vulnerable to interception on the way to the sound driver after the file has been decrypted and downloaded from the DRM system to a media player. With the release of Secure Audio Path technology in Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition and Windows XP, the data path inside the operating system is protected during transfer from the media player to the sound card. This reduces attacks that are based on false plug-ins because these components only have access to encrypted data. A certified Microsoft component verifies that all downstream components (including the sound card driver) are also certified. It does not decrypt the data stream if it detects unauthorized or compromised components in the execution path

Which devices support Windows Media DRM?
Microsoft has announced support for the following portable device companies:, Casio, Cirrus Logic, Creative, CVC Networks, Diamond, Digisette, DnC Tech, e.Digital, Hewlett Packard (Compaq), Hitachi, I-Jam, Iomega, Intel, MIPS Technologies , Nike, NTT DoCoMo, Olympus, Panasonic, Sanyo, Sensory Science, Sigmatel, Sonic Blue, Sony, Texas Instruments, and Thomson/RCA. Leading chip manufacturers have made Windows Media Format (with the Windows Media Audio codec and Windows Media Rights Manager) the most widely supported non-MP3 format

How does Windows Media DRM handle recovery from catastrophic data loss?
Windows Media keeps the licenses separate from the digital media file. Customers are encouraged to back up packaged digital media files through traditional backup mechanisms. They should do this in the same way they back up any other data, such as their Microsoft Word documents and Excel spreadsheets.

If catastrophic hardware failures occur, Windows Media allows customers to back up licenses on one computer and restore them on other computers. A Microsoft fraud detection service helps ensure that the customer's backup/restore system is not abused by digital media pirates. Content owners can also disable the Microsoft backup and restore process and manage restores at their own clearance Web sites.

- srikanth dhanwada
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SD
Hardwaredude.com Team