Digital Rights Management

Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a way to protect copyrights for digital media. This approach includes the use of technologies that limit the copying and use of copyrighted works and proprietary software. In a way, digital rights management allows publishers or authors to control what paying users can do with their works. For companies, implementing digital rights management systems or processes can help to prevent users from accessing or using certain assets, allowing the organization to avoid legal issues that arise from unauthorized use. Today, DRM is playing a growing role in data security.

With the rise of peer-to-peer file exchange services such as torrent sites, online piracy has been the bane of copyrighted material. DRM technologies do not catch those who engage in piracy. Instead, they make it impossible to steal or share the content in the first place.

Most of the time, digital rights management includes codes that prohibit copying, or codes that limit the time or number of devices on which a certain product can be accessed. Publishers, authors, and other content creators use an application that encrypts media, data, e-book, content, software, or any other copyrighted material. Only those with the decryption keys can access the material. They can also use tools to limit or restrict what users are able to do with their materials.