What is Digital Rights Management?
So what is digital rights management? Digital rights management software provides complete control over how a document is used, edited, copied or even printed. The power to sue the software is taken out of the hands of the person using the document and puts it into the hands of the creator of the document (or, more accurately, in the hands of the computer system handling the document.) There are many reasons why a company would want to use digital rights management to protect files: for example, they can prevent a sensitive email from being copied or forwarded; a movie studio can put DRM on their Blu-Rays to prevent them from being copied; a publisher can use DRM to stop copying or printing of an e-book.
DRM isn’t new. It’s been in place since the days of floppy disks, though it has evolved significantly since then.
A DRM system consists of three parts:
- Establishing a copyright for a piece of content, whether that be a piece of media or a financial document
- Managing the distribution of that piece of content by determining which ways it can be shared. Can it be copy-and-pasted? Can it be emailed? Can it be viewed on multiple devices?
- Controlling what the user can do with it once it’s been distributed.
How Does DRM Work?
Let’s take an example of an ebook from the library, which can be checked out digitally. When a user–we’ll call him John Doe–decides to check out the book he has a user number as part of his library card. That number determines how many books he can check out in a certain period of time and how long he can keep them. Identifying the user is the first and simplest task. The system reads the number, knows it’s John Doe, and accesses his records. Then comes identifying the rights: the way John Doe is allowed to download and use the ebooks. The software determines if he can download it, if he can copy it, or is it encrypted. Can he take a paragraph of the book to use in a research paper? Can he take a screen capture of a diagram, chart, or image? Usage rights don’t just cover permissions, but also any obligations: does John Doe have to pay for the right to use the book?
File Protect
FileProtect is a Caplinked tool that lets you share documents while retaining the ability to deny access to anything even after it’s downloaded. Your clients will appreciate the freedom to download files for use outside of a data room, and you will enjoy peace of mind with the ability to rescind access at any point in the process. Manage your digital rights easily, securely, and at the click of a button with DRM software. FileProtect is the digital rights management solution for your due diligence needs.
Take an example of Susan, a CEO at a company who is looking to merge with Company Alpha. Susan, through the use of a Virtual Data Room and the FileProtect system, can download the financials of Company Alpha onto her devices so she can work on them while she is on the plane, at her desk, or at home. The files may be on multiple devices–laptops, tablets, phones–and may be accessed from many locations. But maybe during the negotiations, Company Alpha is unhappy with the deal and wants to back out. Rather than leaving Susan with all of their financials, using DRM they can rescind Susan’s rights from the source. As soon as they turn off her permissions, Susan will no longer be able to download or view the files. For all intents and purposes, they have been deleted from Susan’s computer until such time as Company Alpha decides they want to restore those permissions.
No Plugins. No Updates. Ever.
Unlike other document sharing platforms, CapLinked’s digital rights management technology requires zero plugins to view PDFs and Microsoft Office files in-browser. No need to slow down your deals with frequent plugin updates or software installations. Zero plugins also means a more secure connection. You never have to worry about plugins being compromised. With FileProtect DRM technology, it all just works!
Digital Rights Management Software
Complete Access Control
You decide who sees what documents and when, even those that need to be downloaded or printed. Sharing information outside your company has never been easier—or safer.
DRM Software — Comprehensive Activity Tracking
FileProtect tracks every time a file is downloaded and subsequently opened. And with real-time activity analytics, gain better insight into when prospects are interested and when they’re not. Follow-up with prospects and keep your deal moving forward. Optimize file activity insights to streamline your workflow and improve efficiently throughout the lifespan of your project. Digital rights management has never been easier or more secure.
Custom Integrations
Enterprise-grade security from FileProtect will safeguard documents from getting leaked and ensure you stay compliant. Don’t see a security feature you need for your digital rights management? Talk to us today to learn about our custom document security integrations.
