License Server Key Rotation Staggering
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional digital rights management (DRM) systems experience congestion at license servers due to simultaneous requests for new keys during key rotation, leading to bottlenecks and increased load, especially with uniquely encrypted content for each receiver.
Innovation Solution
Implementing an enhanced license server that generates and manages licenses with randomized or staggered renewal times for receivers, allowing them to request new keys at different times before a key rotation, thereby reducing the simultaneous load on the license server.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If all receivers request new keys simultaneously during key rotation, then all receivers can update their licenses, but the license server experiences congestion and increased load
Solution Approach 1:
The license server sends advance notification to receivers about upcoming key rotation before it occurs. This allows receivers to prepare and request new licenses at different times rather than all simultaneously, distributing the load on the license server while ensuring all receivers can complete their license updates.
2Reliability
If content is uniquely encrypted for each receiver, then security is improved, but the license server load increases even heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The license server performs preliminary key rotation and prepares encrypted content with new keys before receivers need them. By advancing the key rotation timeline and notifying receivers in advance, the server can process license updates during off-peak times, reducing simultaneous requests while maintaining unique encryption for each receiver.
3Reliability
If key rotation is implemented, then security is improved, but congestion and bottlenecks occur at the license server
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements preliminary key rotation where the license server rotates keys and prepares encrypted content before receivers need them. The server sends advance notification to receivers, allowing them to request new licenses at staggered times rather than simultaneously, thus maintaining security while avoiding congestion and bottlenecks at the license server.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for managing provisioning of keys prior to a key rotation are provided. A license server generates a license that is associated with a renewal time. The renewal time is a time that is prior to a key rotation time, and triggers a receiver device to send a renewal request prior to the key rotation time. The renewal time may be a randomized time prior to the key rotation time that differs for different receiver devices. The license is transmitted to the receiver device. The license server then receives a renewal request from the receiver device that is triggered at the renewal time. The license server generates a next license that comprises a next key, whereby the next key is a decryption key for decrypting the encrypted signal after the key rotation time. The next license is transmitted to the receiver device prior to the key rotation time.