-- Fortium: The Cat and Mouse Game
Let's be honest - we know what the problem is with data or content security in the media industry. It's all about the content TV and Film companies produce. Cyber-attacks are on the rise and everyone is vulnerable, but the pressure is especially severe if hackers know that you are in possession of something valuable, like the latest series of an award winning show or a high budget movie.
There is a lot of publicity that surrounds cyber-attacks on big name companies and their big name content - just see the various media reports about Game of Thrones and HBO earlier this year. The treasure has never been shinier, and the risk that much higher. The cyber criminals have realised that there is value in the industry. The content is of interest and has value; therefore, they want to leverage that value.
But are media companies really more vulnerable to attacks? They are undoubtedly a prime target, but does that make them any easier to infiltrate? That's hard to say. They do typically work with multiple third parties. Whether it be outsourcing storage, or encoding, or even the production companies hiring freelancers to operate cameras. The workload in the industry is fast moving and quick turnarounds mean that work is often outsourced. Media companies run their content through many rivers, and it only takes one crocodile in the water to make the content unsafe, much like the Orange Is The New Black leak as the media reported earlier this year.
The incidents of security and the threats to networks that we are seeing are only going to get worse. There are so many ways to be hacked because everything is theoretically vulnerable - that's without even touching upon human error. It is a cat and mouse game, and the media industry is at risk of losing. Media companies are spending more time trying to solidify their solutions but this all comes at a cost. As we all know, everything has a budget and security tends to be the one that falls on the back burner even though a breach can cost millions of dollars in lost revenue and millions more on the stock market. Not to mention the loss of reputation from the wider public, your own employees and prospective recruits.
So what can be done? It's time to be more pragmatic and more proactive. Don't cross your fingers then hope for the best (because it won't work) and start layering your protection, expecting the worst. Securing your network sounds good, but what if someone has made it inside already? Restricting your employees' internet connection (or air gapping) sounds effective - trouble is hackers have been busting that myth for years.
What do we think is the most pragmatic way of protecting sensitive content? We recommend encryption at rest. This means video, audio or data files remain encrypted throughout the entire workflow and can only be accessed by those who fulfil a set of criteria - like a password. The benefit of this is rather obvious; someone could happen upon a pre-release film or TV show, but they can't access it without a password. The file is essentially useless to them, provided the encryption method is up to scratch (AES 128-bit, for instance).
Encryption at-rest is advocated by MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America). A lot of companies follow encryption in transit but not at-rest; that is because it can be a difficult undertaking as traditionally post-production editing programs (like Avid's MediaComposer and ProTools) won't recognise encrypted files. This has been a major sticking point for a number of years and only now the industry is starting to catch up.
And that catch up has happened with MediaSeal encryption at-rest; the files just work in those programs, as normal, and yet stay encrypted throughout to ensure that only intended access to content is allowed. To ensure the file stays protected, there are multiple methods for authentication that are leveraged:
A user needs decryptor software and a valid MediaSeal licence to unwrap the encrypted file.
A unique user iLok is needed, one that's already associated with the file. This adds a key physical lock on content. Need to be away from your desk at lunch? Take the look with you and the content is unusable while the desk is unmanned.
The file password is needed and is set by the person who encrypts the files.
Remote server authentication. Sent a file to someone accidentally? With this, you can revoke their access, even after it's been delivered. A neat further feature is you can set a file to expire so it is only accessible during working hours or not after the project has finished.
We believe that MediaSeal achieves two important things - one, it protects content, as intended. Two, it allows end users to get on with creating films and TV shows that entertain across the world. It's why MediaSeal is used in over 200 post-production facilities and this year helped secure the likes of Wonder Woman, Dunkirk, and The Dark Tower.
We are seeing an increase in cybercrime almost weekly, with high-profile companies suffering widespread attacks. At the time of writing, this is the Equifax breach in the US - who knows what it will be by the time you're reading this sentence?
Something that is important to consider is that these are the attacks that we are hearing about. It happens every day and most companies will go to great lengths to keep it quiet. Yahoo! was breach back in 2014 - they only reported on this in September last year.
There is no way to completely prevent an attack, but companies can do a lot to reduce the risk. It would be na ve to think it is 100% possible to have an impenetrable system. However, there are processes you can put in place to limit the damage. Content can't be utilised or released if it is encrypted. We think that encryption at-rest is the b
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
04/05/2024
NEW YORK As the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month kicks off in May, Nielsen has released an extensive new report diving into their media habits with data sh...
04/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA As National Military Appreciation Month gets underway, Comcast has announced several new initiatives to help veterans, service members, and their f...
04/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel has announced a tentative agenda for the May Open Commission Meeting scheduled...
04/05/2024
The Broadband Forum has announced major enhancements to key 5G convergence standards that the group said will help advance next-generation applications, improve...
04/05/2024
Spotify Wrapped Campaign Spot Graded With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Blackmagic Design today announced that Colorist M...
04/05/2024
Three Boston Conservatory at Berklee Alums Nominated for Tony Awards An additional eight alums and two current students performed in nominated productions.
...
03/05/2024
An innovative learning tool to help media and civil society better understand ho...
03/05/2024
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 21: (L-R) Actors K stutis Cic nas and Greta Grinevi i t , Director Marija Kavtaradze and Producer Marija Razgute attend the 2023 Sunda...
03/05/2024
If you aren't familiar with Danny Ocean's music, it's only a matter ...
03/05/2024
Spotify has an unwavering commitment to supporting emerging artists across all genres, to helping them launch and thrive in their careers, and to connecting the...
03/05/2024
Como uno de los sonidos de mayor expansi n en el mundo, la M sica Mexicana va m ...
03/05/2024
As one of the fastest-growing sounds worldwide, M sica Mexicana is more than jus...
03/05/2024
NEW YORK FuboTV reported that it lost 110,000 subs in Q1 2024 but it exceeded its guidance for the quarter with double digit year-over-year increases across key...
03/05/2024
Only 3 Weeks Left To Enter The Creative Industries Most Award
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
Creativepool is giving a last call to the creative i...
03/05/2024
WePlay Studios Transforms the Future of Live Event Storytelling with AJA Gear
Brie Clayton May 3, 2024
0 Comments
By 2032, the esports market is expec...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Shannon Bream, Fox News Sunday anchor and chief legal correspondent, sat for a keynote chat at The Business of TV News, with Tom Umstead, senior co...
03/05/2024
WASHINGTON Asked how important is local news, Martha Raddatz, who has covered foreign conflicts for decades and moderated presidential debates for ABC News, s...
03/05/2024
Sony Pictures and Apollo Global Management have made a $26 billion cash offer fo...
03/05/2024
CBS announced its 2024-2025 primetime schedule, which features the new dramas NCIS: Origins, Matlock and Watson, and new comedies Poppa's House and Georgie ...
03/05/2024
Sports-focused streaming service Fubo said it reduced its red ink in the first quarter, despite losing 110,000 subscribers since the end of the year....
03/05/2024
Walmart is reportedly about to release a new 4K streaming box/smart speaker hybrid device for Google TV that could retail for as low as $50, according to a repo...
03/05/2024
Enhancements to its Delivery Workspace solution provide increased content delivery robustness and security
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 3, 2024
Enha...
03/05/2024
According to reports, if the bid is successful, Sony would be the significant majority shareholder of the new private company
By Jenny Priestley
Published: M...
03/05/2024
Located in Manchesters Spinningfields district, the course aims to equip students with the skills, knowledge and industry insight for a career in the creative s...
03/05/2024
Lightbridge has created a new Cine Reflect Lighting System kit, dedicated to enabling artistic lighting with consideration of today's productivity practical...
03/05/2024
Broadcast media systems integrator BeckTV and Lawo worked together on a large-scale AES67 build of radio control rooms at KPBS, San Diego's NPR and PBS memb...
03/05/2024
Raleigh, NC, April 12, 2024 SmallHD announces PageOS 6, a powerful software update free for owners of SmallHD monitors, featuring increased functionality, exp...
03/05/2024
SmallHD announces the Quantum 32 a new 31.5 OLED monitor designed to provide reference HDR/SDR images for post-production final color grading, as well as cri...
03/05/2024
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 Lea...
03/05/2024
Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), today announced that the 11th edition of the Amagi Global FAST Rep...
03/05/2024
Riedel Communications today announced that Westdeutscher Rundfunk (WDR) is relying on a media and intercom network based on Riedel technology for the renewal of...
03/05/2024
Broadpeak , a leading provider of content delivery network (CDN) and video streaming solutions for content providers and pay-TV operators worldwide, announced t...
03/05/2024
Media technology innovator Limecraft will exhibit the latest updates to its online platform on stand G79 at the 15-16 May 2024 Media Production & Technology Sho...
03/05/2024
Audio interface specialist Prism Sound is partnering with console manufacturer Solid State Logic, professional monitor manufacturer PMC and acoustic panel and d...
03/05/2024
Intinor, Sweden's leading developer of products and solutions for high-quality video over the internet, is set to join forces with its UK partner Zest Techn...
03/05/2024
NAKIVO Inc., a fast-growing software company dedicated to protecting physical, virtual, cloud, and SaaS environments, announced its Q1 2024 financial results to...
03/05/2024
Hiltron Communications announces an addition to its range of satellite communication products and systems: a field-upgradable motorisation kit specifically desi...
03/05/2024
Visit LiveU at Stand D30
With this year an exceptional one for major sporting events alongside multiple, key elections, the power and flexibility of LiveU'...
03/05/2024
Agile Content, the leader in the development of technology and solutions for the provision of television services over the Internet, announces Koldo Unanue as i...
03/05/2024
Eight co-signers representing streaming services, pay TV operators and public interest groups have sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging their Committee...
03/05/2024
BOSTON Brightcove has announced that it has implemented Amazon Q Business, a new generative AI assistant on Amazon Web Services (AWS)....
03/05/2024
NEW YORK CBS has declared that it will finish the 2023-24 season as Americas Most-Watched Network in primetime for the 16th consecutive season....
03/05/2024
A new survey indicates that U.S. businesses and consumers had an overall positive attitude towards their technology spending plans in the first quarter of 2024,...
03/05/2024
Sony and Apollo Global Management have sent an offer letter to Paramount Global's board of directors making an $26 billion all cash offer for Paramount Glob...
03/05/2024
EMG / Gravity Media has appointed Charlie Cubbon chief operating officer (COO) and Jamie Hindhaugh regional CEO for the U.K., U.S., Australia and the Middle Eas...
03/05/2024
Final 2024 Season Games to Air Saturdays on WRAL at 10:30am in May, Championship on June 1
Taping for the final episodes of the 2024 season of WRAL-TV's Br...
03/05/2024
Estrella MediaCo said it is expanding its connected TV portfolio by launching three new channels with Curiosity that will first appear on Samsung TV Plus....
-- Fortium: The Cat and Mouse Game
