Is there a DRM scheme that works?

Question

We help our clients to manage and publish their media online - images, video, audio, whatever. They always ask my boss whether they can stop users from copying their media, and he asks me, and I always tell him the same thing: no. If the users can view the media, then a sufficiently determined user will always be able to make a copy. But am I right?

I've been asked again today, and I promised my boss I'd ask about it online. So - is there a DRM scheme that will work? One that will stop users making copies without stopping legitimate viewing of the media?

And if there isn't, how do I convince my boss?

Answer 1

No. If you let them view it, they can always make a copy of what they saw. You can make it harder for this to happen, but in the end, you can't stop a suitably determined attacker.

Answer 2

Short of supplying specifically tailored hardware (which is what Microsoft is pushing with its Trusted Computing 'Palladium' initiative) the answer is no, you can't stop 'em to get to the bits.

Even in the case of specifically tailored hardware an attacker with enough skills and resources can still get to your content, you just reduce the attack surface enormously.

Of course a video camera will work just as well in many cases, you'd then have to counter that with a specific set of television/monitors. It shortly stops being economically viable.

To convince the boss, just tell him what's easier to understand: you cannot stop someone from placing a camera in front of the television.