Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography allows you to encrypt your videos. If a video is encrypted, it cannot be redistributed without authorization even if it is downloaded to a local device. This prevents video leaks and hotlinking. Compared with HTTP-Live-Streaming (HLS) encryption, Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography is safer and easier to use. This topic describes how to encrypt a video by using Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography.
Precautions
The feature of using Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography in ApsaraVideo Media Processing (MPS) is integrated with ApsaraVideo VOD. For more information about how to use Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography, see Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography.
Limits
You can generate encrypted videos only in the M3U8 format by using Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography.
Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography is available only in regions in the Chinese mainland. You cannot use this encryption method in the China (Hong Kong) region or other regions outside the Chinese mainland.
Usage notes
Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography can be automatically triggered by a workflow or an API operation after user information required for encryption is configured. No more manual configurations are required.
Preparations
Configure the settings of video encryption
Create a workflow for video encryption.
For more information about how to create a workflow, see Create a workflow. When you create a workflow, perform the following steps to configure the settings of video encryption:
Click the Pen icon next to the Encode node. In the Encoding dialog box, click Advanced Settings.
Turn on Encryption.
Select Alibaba Cloud Private Encryption as the encryption method.
Encryption method
Description
Alibaba Cloud Private Encryption
This encryption method uses the proprietary Advanced Encryption Standard 128-bit (AES-128) algorithm to encrypt videos. You can use only ApsaraVideo Player for iOS, Android, and Flash to decrypt and play videos that are encrypted by using Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography. This encryption method provides a high level of security protection.
Configure other parameters based on your requirements and click OK.
Click the Pen icon next to the Publish node.
Set the Publish Type parameter to Auto This way, each video can be played immediately after it is transcoded.
Configure the CDN domain name of the Object Storage Service (OSS) bucket for storing output files. For more information, see Configure a domain name for CDN.
Upload a video
After you configure the settings of video encryption for a workflow, you can upload a video. Then, MPS automatically transcodes and encrypts the video.
Upload a video in the MPS console or OSS console. For more information, see Upload a video.
Verify that the video is in the Initialized state after the video is uploaded.
If you set the Publish Type parameter to Auto when you configure a workflow, the Initialized state is displayed in the Publish Status column that corresponds to the uploaded video. If you set the Publish Type parameter to Manual for a workflow, the Unpublished state is displayed in Publish Status column that corresponds to the uploaded video. You must set the Publish Type parameter to Auto when you configure a workflow for video encryption.
Verify that the video is automatically published after it is transcoded. The Published state is displayed in the Publish Status column that corresponds to the video. Then, you can play the video based on your requirements.
Play an encrypted video
You can use only ApsaraVideo Player to play a video that is encrypted by using Alibaba Cloud proprietary cryptography. For more information, see MPS Player SDK.