Architectural, Functional and Technical Foundations of Digital Rights Management Systems

In this paper, the architectural, functional and technical foundations of DRMS are analysed and some classes of application where these technologies may be effective in counteracting the threat of digital piracy are considered. However, it should be cautioned that this analysis may soon become outdated, since technologies and market demand are undergoing rapid development. Nevertheless, the following conclusions may be offered. DRMS have the potential to permit implementation of comprehensive protection schemes by combining and integrating three core technologies: encryption, digital watermarking and rights expression languages, for preventive (i.e. access and usage control) and forensic (i.e. prosecution of copyright infringement) purposes. Additional billing functionalities facilitate the use of progressive, usage-based revenue models. License registration procedures also provide media companies with detailed customer information. At least from a technological perspective, the recording and evaluation of end consumer information permits economically appealing forms of price differentiation. From an architectural perspective, DRMS can be classified as supplier-side (back-end) or user-side (front-end) solutions. Front-end clients can be software-based, hardware-based or hybrid systems, depending upon the desired level of protection.