M-FORS –
MPEG Framework for Open Reconfigurable Security
What is M-FORS?
M-FORS is a set of interoperable, secure software components that allows users to:
· Create secure MPEG content in a variety of formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4) by injecting intellectual property (IP) protection from the first production stages
· Securely and flexibly distribute access rights to authenticated customers by tailoring their terminals’ software on the fly to fit various IP management and protection schemes
· Enable customers to use one single terminal to access a multiplicity of services and content types by transparently downloading authenticated components on a certified, secure device
For whom is M-FORS intended?
M-FORS is a key technology for everyone aiming to exploit the full potential of digital content distribution:
· Content owners willing to reach vast audiences without losing control of their valuable assets
· Content distributors who are keen to cut costs and try alternative channels while retaining the same level of credibility and reliability
· Service providers seeking new opportunities to expand their business and their target audience by assembling content from different sources without the need to care for commonality of IP management techniques
· Network operators striving to spur the massive delivery of valuable content across their infrastructures by raising the level of confidence in the new distribution paradigm
· Consumer electronics manufacturers trying to make their devices more portable and interoperable but still compliant to the security requirements implied by most business models
Technical Details
The M-FORS technology created by Telecom Italia Lab is based the achievements of a collaborative research project funded by the European Commission, IST-11443 “OCCAMM”.
The Digital Rights Management (DRM) infrastructure that M-FORS provides is based on the most advanced international standards, like MPEG IPMP and OPIMA, to provide the highest achievable level of security while implementing an open framework that facilitates the interoperability of multi-vendor devices.
The M-FORS platform relies on an inherently flexible architecture that supports basically any scenario from peer-to-peer applications to broadcasting. In a typical client-server configuration, it provides:
· A tool for injecting security into MPEG content in the production studio
· A set of secure servers to distribute content licenses and the software security plug-ins (IPMP systems) that are needed to interpret them in the customer terminal.
· A secure software kernel (“OPIMA Virtual Machine”) embedding all content handling functions on the client side, including a secure MPEG player, and supporting the automatic download and installation of the security plug-ins.
M-FORS enables secure content distribution……while supporting interoperability of providers and devices
*** this is my latest PR concoction at work... no copyright problems here***