Live Content Encryption (AES-128)
This document is a machine-translated draft and is currently undergoing review. Some content may be inaccurate or differ from the original Korean version. For the most precise information, please refer to the Korean documentation.
As the value of digital content increases, security during live transmission is no longer optional — it is essential. Kollus Live supports AES-128 encryption, an industry-standard security technology, to prevent unauthorized access and content leakage.
AES-128 provides strong security performance while offering excellent real-time encryption/decryption efficiency, making it the most reliable security solution for live streaming environments sensitive to latency.
What is AES-128?
AES-128 (Advanced Encryption Standard 128-bit) is a globally validated symmetric key encryption algorithm. It encrypts data using a fixed 128-bit key, and the same key is used for decryption.
Key Features and Benefits
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Strong security | Fundamentally blocks interception or tampering of data in transit. |
| Performance optimization | Minimal overhead during encryption/decryption maintains an uninterrupted viewing experience. |
| High compatibility | Works without restrictions across various devices and platforms including PC, mobile, and tablet. |
| Standard technology | Fully integrated with the HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) specification to ensure transmission stability. |
How It Works and How It Is Applied
AES-128 encryption in Kollus Live is applied at the segment level based on the HLS transmission standard.
- Segment splitting: The original live video is divided into small TS (Transport Stream) files for transmission.
- Individual encryption: AES-128 algorithm is applied to each divided TS file for encryption.
- Index generation (
m3u8): The playlist filem3u8includes the paths of encrypted TS files and the Key URL information required for decryption. - Real-time decryption: The player requests the key based on the information in
m3u8, and uses the obtained key to decrypt the TS files in real time and present them to the user.
Key Use Cases
- Online education: Prevents illegal leakage of paid lectures or confidential corporate training sessions.
- Internal broadcasting: Blocks key information from leaking externally during employee-only town hall meetings or internal training.
- Paid events: Grants access to live concerts or paid webinars only to users with specific permissions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Is AES-128 encryption suitable for live streaming?
Yes, it is very suitable. Because AES-128 has an extremely fast encryption/decryption speed, viewers experience virtually no additional latency even with security applied.
Q. What does a user need to decrypt encrypted content?
The following logical steps are required for a player to decrypt and play content.
- User authentication: Verifies whether the user has the required permissions.
- Key URL access: Allows only authenticated users to access the encryption key address (URL) specified in the
m3u8file. - Key acquisition and decryption: The player downloads the key file from the URL, then uses it to decrypt the segmented video files (TS) in real time for playback.
Q. Is AES-128 security alone sufficient for protecting paid content?
It depends on the security goals of your service.
- Sufficient: If your goal is to prevent data interception during transmission and enforce access control so that only authorized users can connect, AES-128 is an excellent option.
- Insufficient: If you need to fundamentally block users from screen recording or playing copied source content elsewhere, AES-128 alone is not enough. In this case, applying DRM, a more robust copyright protection technology, is recommended.
Q. How is AES-128 applied to live content?
As soon as live video is generated, the system divides it into small data blocks (TS files). Encryption is applied to each individual block before transmitting it to the user. Since all of this happens in real time in the background, viewers can enjoy a seamless viewing experience regardless of whether encryption is applied.
Q. Which services primarily use this feature?
It is primarily used as an essential feature in the following services where preventing external content leakage is critical.
- Online education: When blocking lecture videos from leaking to anyone other than paid students
- Corporate internal broadcasting: When preventing key information from leaving the organization during internal meetings or new product training
- Paid events: When providing premium live services such as paid online concerts or webinars