ISMACryp 2.0 Encryption Spec Extends End-to-End Content Protection to Any Codec

SAN FRANCISCO — The Internet Streaming Media Alliance (ISMA) has released the latest version of its end-to-end content protection scheme, ISMACryp 2.0, which is now codec agnostic. This means that while preserving the security and flexibility features of the earlier ISMACryp 1.1, version 2.0 is no longer limited to only MPEG-4 codecs and is designed to work with any codec, on any IP network or device.

ISMACryp is an open standard technology that provides true end-to-end protection for multimedia content. In contrast to other popular link protection technologies, such as SRTP IPSec or DTCP-IP, content protected with ISMACryp is never “in the clear,” not even during intermediate storage or the transition between transport links.

“ISMACryp protects the content throughout the entire distribution channel and can be combined with any key management system. This extra security and flexibility is an important feature of the specification and has been very well received in the industry. According to a recent ISMA survey, one third of those who requested ISMA specifications were doing so to implement ISMACryp,” said Nikolaus Färber of Fraunhofer IIS and the ISMA technical chair.

While previous versions of ISMACryp only addressed MPEG-4 codecs, such as H.264/AVC and AAC, the new release is compatible with any codec that can be stored in files of the MP4 family. This includes H.263 video and AMR audio, as widely used in mobile networks. It is compatible with any IP-network and can operate on any device, including mobile handsets.

“Codec-independency, as now supported by ISMACryp 2.0, de-couples the protection layer from the coding layer. This gives ISMACryp both power and longevity,” Färber said. Codec-independency also was a major requirement for the adoption of ISMACryp 2.0 into the broadcast specification of the Open Mobile Alliance (OMA). “With ISMACryp 2.0 being a part of the OMA BCAST specification, we can expect a similar adoption rate as ISMACryp 1.1 in DVB-H. ” Färber said.

Formally known as ISMA Encryption and Authentication Version 2.0, ISMACryp 2.0 has undergone extensive interoperability testing within ISMA. More than 100 reference files are available for implementers. The ISMACryp 2.0 specification can be requested at no charge from ISMA at the organization’s Web site by selecting “Approved Specs” under the Technology heading.