New DRM Information Resource

LockLizard Announces Launch of Digital Rights Management (DRM) and Information Security Education Center, which brings together news, views, regulation and technology on digital rights management (DRM), IPR, PDF security, copy protection, ebook and web security and copyright.

At a time when DRM has been getting a seriously bad press (Sony abandons rootkit controls, 2005 and Microsoft may try to introduce strict license controls through the Windows Advantage scheme, 2006) LockLizard has launched a comprehensive education site aimed at increasing the understanding and debate of the role of DRM in the computer marketplace.

LockLizard recognize that there is serious confusion in the marketplace. The law as it relates to IPR is badly understood both by technologists and by customers. Current legislation, developed for the paper printing era may be entirely inappropriate for the Internet. The technologies capable of delivering DRM need serious examination to ensure that they do not create (as the Sony rootkit and its subsequent removal process did) a new threat to customers computer systems.

LockLizard recognize that if DRM is going to become a generally accepted technology there has to be a multi-way debate to determine what rights the creator should enjoy, what rights the purchaser should expect, and what rights society should achieve having granted an economic right to the author.

To support the real issues and debates, the LockLizard education center provides a balanced and authoritative input to the DRM debate and the DRM industry, influencing manufacturers, technologists and consumers and furthering the debate in this critical area. It is divided into six sections:

1. an eLearning center providing beginners guides to the issues, technologies and available answers. Topics covered include PDF security, elearning security, rights management, ebook security, web and HTML security, information control and copy protection and prevention.
   
2. a white paper section providing more in-depth guides covering subjects such as encryption, digital rights management, PDF security, IPR and copyright.
   
3. facts on intellectual property theft. The music, film and computer software industries have made many claims about the value of theft. But are these claims economically supportable? What are the economics of brand copying, and are they actually positive or negative for both consumers and manufacturers?
   
4. PDF security incidents in the news. There are many many incidents that affect social attitudes to DRM, as well as technology failures and technology approaches to enforcing rights. LockLizard relay the latest reports in order to make sure that site users are completely up-to-date on the critical issues.
   
5. DRM blog. Unlike many other sites, the LockLizard DRM blog does not follow a party line and is not a badly disguised marketing vehicle for the company.
   
6. and lastly, for those unfamiliar with various technical terms a comprehensive glossary of DRM and IRP terminology is also provided.

The chief writer, Steve Mathews, is well known in the international standards communities in both the security and information management spheres. If you have ever dealt with him you will know he takes no hostages. Enough said.

[Quite interesting site. However, those expecting a rational analysis of the industry claims under point 3 above will be disappointed. It would be nice to see a discussion focussing more on Enterprise Rights Management - whether Hollow-wood's junk gets stolen or sold is completely uninteresting for society, and it is certainly not worth legislating about or enforcing with tax payers' money (you could argue in favour of DRM here - reducing access to this trash can only be a cultural bonus).

What is interesting, though, is the ability of corporations and governments to keep unbreakable secrets. Here the interest of the public must always prevail, and it is worth while limiting ERM/DRM through legislation and enforcement. --Ed].

Related links: (Open in a new window.)
www.locklizard.com/information-security-center.htm
www.locklizard.com/document_security_papers.htm
www.locklizard.com/intellectual_property_theft.htm
www.locklizard.com/pdf_security_news.htm
drm-blog.locklizard.com/
www.locklizard.com/document_security_glossary.htm

Taken from Information Security Bulletin.