Tom Jahr, Conax's EVP of products & partners, explains the security challenges of multi-screen services and the importance of hiding complexity
Show Daily: What security issues does a multi-screen scenario create that aren't a concern for single-screen content?
Jahr: Firstly, new infrastructure is used. Multi-screen services are often delivered to inherently unsecure devices such as PCs, smartphones, tablets and connected TVs while single-screen content typically has been delivered through controlled and more secure devices like STBs and CA modules.
Cloud (internet) based delivery of multi-screen services introduces yet another set of security challenges, such as DoS attacks. And if the operator chooses a media gateway strategy for multi-screen services, the gateway itself then poses new security concerns, such as transcoding and trans-crypting of content.
Account sharing is another concern. As multi-screen services enable consumers to watch services on several screens simultaneously, such accounts can potentially be shared between consumers, and not kept within the same household as intended. Operators can lose significant revenues through this type of piracy.
What solutions or strategies are available to secure multi-screen content, and how can they be implemented?
Operators should choose a security solution that hides the complexity of multi-screen operations, yet at the same time enforces their business models and content protection requirements consistently -- across all devices. The solution should also offer a wide device reach enabling high customer uptake.
Security solutions are designed to protect the revenue models for both content providers and operators. Security vendors like Conax are given the task to implement the security - sometimes in cooperation with device vendors. In addition, when operators are developing their multi-screen strategies, we see them coming to us for advice as we have been building competence and experience on multi-screen solutions for years.