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Tag: Andrew Bunten

  • Irdeto tightens the screws on sports pirates with high-frequency key rotation

    Irdeto tightens the screws on sports pirates with high-frequency key rotation

    AMSTERDAM:  Live sport is the crown jewel of streaming — and the favourite target of pirates. The digital-security specialist Irdeto has launched a new feature for its cloud-based multi-DRM platform, Irdeto Control, designed to make life harder for stream hijackers and easier for broadcasters under pressure from rights holders.

    The enhancement centres on high-frequency key rotation: a technique that shrinks the exposure window for encryption keys, forcing frequent re-authentication. Each cycle destabilises pirate streams by disrupting the stolen keys they rely on, making common tricks such as key extraction and CDN leeching far less effective. The result, says Irdeto, is the gradual degradation of illegal feeds — a frustrating user experience that pushes fans back towards legitimate platforms.

    Irdeto Control already delivers more than 15 billion DRM transactions monthly, protecting content for over 200m users. It supports Widevine, FairPlay and PlayReady, while layering on piracy countermeasures such as concurrency management, vulnerable-device blocking, emulator detection and geo/VPN enforcement. The new key-rotation capability slots into existing multi-DRM workflows without requiring changes to players or packagers — a crucial point for operators wary of integration headaches.

    “Piracy in live sports continues to evolve rapidly, and rights holders are demanding tougher security standards that don’t hinder operational efficiency,” said  Irdeto chief operating officer for video entertainment Andrew Bunten. “This is a major step forward in protecting the value of live content.”

    The economics of piracy are sobering: for broadcasters, unauthorised streaming of premium leagues erodes subscription revenues; for rights holders, it undermines billion-dollar licensing deals. Regulators, too, have begun pressing platforms to prove they can safeguard live streams against theft.

    Irdeto, which has long positioned itself at the intersection of video platforms and security, hopes its latest upgrade will strengthen its pitch to both camps. By degrading pirate feeds rather than merely chasing them offline, it aims to tilt the balance in favour of legal distribution.

    The announcement comes ahead of IBC 2025 in Amsterdam, where Irdeto will showcase its full suite of video-protection tools. In a marketplace where streaming platforms compete as much on content security as on user experience, the company is betting that tougher defences can help keep live sport the revenue engine it has always been.

  • TO THE NEW and Irdeto partner to boost Pay-TV experience & monetisation

    TO THE NEW and Irdeto partner to boost Pay-TV experience & monetisation

    Mumbai: TO THE NEW, a global digital technology services company, and Irdeto, the world leader in secure digital platform experiences, are expanding their partnership to address the needs of Pay-TV and streaming operators which aim to support content super aggregation for end users. The collaboration also enables operators to unlock monetization opportunities beyond the primary content viewing use cases. Irdeto has selected TO THE NEW as a key technology partner for delivering a consistent user experience (UX) across the full suite of devices in its ecosystem.

    With TO THE NEW’s UX, apps, and experience management seamlessly integrated, operators can better utilize Irdeto’s award-winning streaming aggregation platform, Irdeto Experience, by optimizing content delivery and driving viewer engagement across all types of connected devices, including mobile, web, Smart TVs and set-top boxes. The collaboration between TO THE NEW and Irdeto provides flexibility for operators to customize the look and feel of apps, while also enabling studio-grade security and complete control over metadata and rights management using proven content management solutions. Irdeto Experience also allows easy integration with industry-leading tools for subscription management, data and analytics, digital marketing, and advertising engines.

    “Our partnership with Irdeto focuses on revolutionizing the OTT experience with a rich, flexible, and extendable solution, which enables content providers to delight their audiences across platforms, while also opening up new avenues for monetization”, TO THE NEW co-founder & CEO Narinder Kumar.

    “Irdeto is committed to providing secure and flexible solutions for streaming and pay-TV operators, and this partnership with TO THE NEW supports our mission to offer a comprehensive ecosystem that not only enhances user experience but also drives viewer engagement and revenue growth,” commented Irdeto COO of Video Entertainment Andrew Bunten. “This collaboration is particularly prominent in light of the growing demand for personalized content across devices including hybrid set-top boxes, so we are excited to see how our partnership translates into tangible impacts for our clients and their audiences,” he added.

  • 4K UHD content protection: Irdeto’s solution completes Cartesian review

    4K UHD content protection: Irdeto’s solution completes Cartesian review

    MUMBAI: Irdeto, a leader in digital platform security, has announced that its Cloaked CA solution has completed a review by Cartesian against the usage rules for 4K UHD premium content included in the Farncombe Security Audit.

    The audit focuses on content security requirements, aligned with MovieLabs’ Enhanced Content Protection (ECP) requirements and industry best practices. The Farncombe Security Audit is recognized by studios and sports right holders worldwide as a measure of a solution’s suitability to protect premium content.

    Irdeto Cloaked CA is anchored by a secure chipset and complemented with Irdeto’s software obfuscation and whitebox cryptography. Together, these features provide a secure, diversified and easily renewable CA solution. It is a key solution offered in the Irdeto 360 Security suite, which is designed to ensure future-proof end-to-end security that can quickly and easily react to changes in the market in a cost-effective fashion. The Farncombe Security Audit covers solution areas including end-to-end system design, messaging security and client content path security.

    “For pay media operators and content rights holders, premium content such as live sports, early release movies and other 4K UHD content is a substantial and precious investment which needs the best possible protection,” said Irdeto SVP – content protection Andrew Bunten.

    “Premium security today means 360-degree protection trusted by content owners, everything from protecting broadcast and OTT services to end-to-end piracy control. By completing the Cartesian review of the Irdeto Cloaked CA, we are demonstrating our commitment to robust security,” Bunten said.

    Cartesian, an independent consultancy company for the communications and digital media industries, has been carrying out security reviews for over 15 years. The Farncombe Security Audit™ Mark was launched in 2016 to provide a publicly recognizable indication that a security audit has taken place, and that a report is available from the solution vendor.