Secure content distribution

Abstract

In an example, a method of securing content is described. The method may include instantiating a content server on a client device. The method may also include operating the content server to retrieve content identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI). The method may also include serving the content from the content server to a content renderer on the client device. The content renderer may be configured to render the content at the client device and to prohibit saving the content in the clear on the client device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of securing content, the method comprising:
 instantiating a content server on a client device;   operating the content server to retrieve content identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI); and   serving the content from the content server to a content renderer on the client device, wherein the content renderer is configured to render the content at the client device and to prohibit saving the content in the clear on the client device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the content server is configured to prohibit serving the content to any client except the client device including the content renderer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising launching the content renderer, wherein launching the content renderer includes:
 launching the content renderer as a thread separate from the content server; or   loading a viewer library corresponding to the content renderer on the client device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising performing an authentication handshake between the content renderer and the content server prior to serving the content to the content renderer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein performing an authentication handshake comprises at least one of:
 deriving a session token from a shared key established between the content server and the content renderer when the content server and the content renderer are two threads derived from the same process;   authenticating the content renderer and content server using a shared key embedded at compile time or in preferences of the client device;   encrypting content served from the content server to the content renderer using a public key corresponding to a private key associated with the content renderer;   calculating a one-way hash of the content renderer and verifying that the one-way hash corresponds to an approved one-way hash; or   inspecting a digital signature embedded inside the content renderer.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising installing a policy engine on the client device, wherein the content retrieved by the content server includes one or more associated policies that govern consumption of the content and the policy engine is configured to enforce the policies. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising serving the content to the content renderer in accordance with the one or more associated policies. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the content renderer includes any one of multiple content renderers, each configured to render a different type of content and each configured to prohibit saving the content in the clear on the client device. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the different type of content corresponding to each of the multiple content renderers includes document files, image files, audio files, or video files. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising, prior to serving content to any of the multiple content renderers, verifying an identity of the corresponding content renderer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein verifying an identity of the corresponding content renderer includes:
 performing an authentication handshake between the corresponding content renderer and the content server; or   authenticating the corresponding content renderer by a digital signature thereof.   
     
     
         12 . A method of aggregating content metrics, the method comprising:
 providing content to a client device;   providing a policy to the client device that governs consumption of the content by the client device;   collecting content metrics associated with at least one of providing the content or consumption of the content; and   analyzing the content metrics for at least one of fraud detection or content piracy reduction.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the metrics include consumption data associated with consumption of the content at the client device, the method further comprising:
 determining, based on analyzing the metrics, that consumption of the content has been fraudulently lowered; and   synching the client device with a secure publishing system to substitute previous consumption data collected from the client device by the secure publishing system for subsequent consumption data reported by the client device that indicates lower consumption than the previous consumption data.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the metrics include consumption data including a number of times the content is rendered at the client device. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the client device is a first client device having a unique identifier and the policy specifies a maximum number of times that content can be rendered at any client device based on a corresponding unique identifier such that when implemented in connection with collecting metrics, a maximum number of clone client devices having the same unique identifier as the first client device that can view the content is limited by the policy. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the metrics include consumption data including a number of times the content is downloaded and an identifier associated with each client device that downloads the content. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising determining, based on the number of times the content is downloaded in association with a particular identifier, that the client device associated with the particular identifier has been cloned. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising, disabling access rights to all content subscribed to using the particular identifier. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising, prior to providing the content to the client device, applying a watermark to the content, the watermark including an identifier associated with the client device. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the identifier includes a license number assigned to the client device. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising, in response to identifying an unauthorized copy of the content, analyzing the unauthorized copy to identify the watermark and the corresponding client device as a source of a leak of the unauthorized copy. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one of:
 suspending distribution of additional content to the client device; or   revoking access rights of the client device to content previously distributed to the client device.