DAZN taps Irdeto for sports watermarking

DAZN has tapped cybersecurity outfit Irdeto for its patented forensic watermarking solution, TraceMark as it doubles down on its fight against piracy.

Irdeto is to provide DAZN with end-to-end security solutions including Irdeto Control (multi-DRM) and other Anti-Piracy and Cyber security solutions, while delivering higher levels of security and ease of management which enable premium content to be conveniently and widely offered to consumers on any screen.

TraceMark is available in both headend and client options, and supports different use cases, from tracking security weaknesses in distribution channels to identifying individual pirate sessions to disrupt unauthorised streams at the source.

The cloud-based managed service embeds an invisible, unique forensic watermark into live content either in the cloud-based headend or in the client application. Through extensive monitoring, the end-user identity responsible for the pirated content is derived from the invisible watermark, allowing the streaming service to track, identify and take action.

The cybersecurity company said the damaging effects of piracy are clear for a global sports content platform like DAZN, such as potentially reducing investment in sports, exposing fans to privacy and security risks, and funding organised crime.

“DAZN chose Irdeto as the key provider of end-to-end anti-piracy solutions for its flexibility and willingness to adopt customer-specific requirements,” said Sandeep Tiku, DAZN Group CTO. “With these solutions, DAZN hopes to more effectively tackle pirates through enforcement and the better use of technology, while educating fans of the risks of accessing pirated content.”

Doug Lowther, CEO at Irdeto, said: “Premium live sports is one of the biggest forms of content driving the OTT live streaming industry, making live sports a primary target for piracy. Irdeto’s insights from decades of fighting piracy and cyber threats, coupled with the best technology and DAZN’s team of experts, will be key to shutting down pirates and cyber criminals.”