Introduction

In the introduction, an asset was described as content with value. Unfortunately, assets of value are also of interest to unauthorised users. This may be a competitor wishing to access confidential corporate information, or it could be the piracy of digital entertainment: music, movies, or games. Some Internet piracy is in the domain of the lone hacker, who treats unauthorised access as a challenge. A bigger problem is piracy for commercial gain. Therefore, digital assets have to be securely wrapped to prevent access to all but authorised users that have been properly authenticated.

Document security and digital rights management (DRM) becomes more of an issue when a digital asset management system is exposed to the Internet through a web server. If a system is deployed entirely within the corporate firewall, the risks will be lower and easier to police.

DRM offers systems that can control access and aid the successful monetisation of content. Like many other issues related to asset management, there are numerous choices to consider when buying a DRM system. In choosing a system, you will have to judge the level of threat; the more secure a system, the more it will cost. With increased security, authorised users will find it more difficult to access the required content. So there is a trade-off between cost, security, and ease of use. Even the most secure systems can be cracked. It only takes one clear copy to be made, then that can be distributed in a flash all around...