Widevine Spreads Wings to TV Security
Ohgyu Lee
Team Lead/Media Security Server Team., Altimedia Corp.
The most fundamental and important thing to provide broadcasting services in an Android TV environment is the selection and implementation of a powerful CAS (Conditional Access System) for content protection. However, with the existing Legacy CAS, there were various difficulties as high deployment costs including licenses, maintenance issues, and technical dependencies.
Based on the verified security of Widevine DRM, Google unveiled Widevine CAS, a security technology for broadcasters. Widevine CAS is optimized for the Media CAS environment on Android TV while ensuring a high level of security for Widevine Security Level 1. We would like to introduce the benefits of Widevine CAS that broadcasters can gain in three categories.
1. Cost Reduction
Widevine CAS doesn't have a fee for client or server products. The data needed for content decryption and authorization is stored on the Widevine server, so operators don't have to pay for proprietary chipsets or smart cards that incur high licensing costs. Widevine CAS also provides high compatibility by pre-coordination with major chipset providers that support Android TV. It simplifies the development of set-top boxes, leading to shorter development periods and lower development costs for receivers. Also, it reduces the delivery time of Time to market, so operators can obtain the effect of cost reduction.
2. High Security
Widevine CAS provides Security Level 1. L1 is a security level in which processing related to content playback is executed in the Trusted Execution Environment (TEE). TEE is the most secure, same as Arm's TrustZone and Intel's SGX.
3. Ease of Deployment
It provides a similar system to the legacy CAS in establishing Widevine CAS, making it easy to match with the customer's system that has experienced the legacy CAS. In addition, since the interface that interlocks the client's existing system with the server is the REST API, it provides easily applicable interoperability, which leads to a shorter project period.
Altimedia is a professional integrator that embeds such Widevine CAS technology into a broadcasting company's service platform. In addition to subscriber authentication and viewing rights verification, which are the most basic features Google offers through Widevine CAS, various operational options for subscribers, devices, and products are provided as an integrated solution so that broadcasters can take different service policies. Among these additional features, Message Push has the same transmission method as the EMM of the legacy CAS and functions as part of EMM. Widevine CAS developed to fully meet the requirements of operators operating the traditional CAS system.
The background of a high-quality Widevine-CAS integrated solution is from the R&D experience of Altimedia's own CAS solution, AltiProtect. Having deep knowledge and know-how about CAS's technology elements and service environment can be a distinction and strength of Altimedia.
Native-Java-Web, the evolution of the STB device platform has reached Android today. In the current media service ecosystem where Google and Android have become the core, interest in Widevine CAS will naturally increase, and the role of Altimedia is expected to become important.
