ABSTRACT
To provide digital video services, there are technologies on how best to compress, transmit, store, and retrieve video data. Among these technologies, no one need be reminded of the importance, not only of the reliable transmission and efficient compression, but also of the security of the video delivery process. In traditional video communication systems, such as analog cable television networks, it is important to secure transmission channels so that only authorized customers can view the transmitted programs. For MPEG-enabled digital video transmission systems, it is more important to provide a higher level of security for the digital information that is transmitted. As public communication networks are increasingly used for commercial digital video transmission, the need to provide security becomes critical. In digital cable and satellite systems, high-value movies and video programs (“content”) must be protected from piracy by conditional access and copy protection systems. Video content protection is now an integral part of digital video services. Secure communications service prevents imposters from impersonating legitimate users. Achieving video security in an electronic society requires a vast array of technical and legal skills. There is, however, no guarantee that all of the video security objectives deemed necessary can be adequately met. The technical means of security is provided through cryptography.
