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Security Levels

You can use the following security rights to protect your content by specifying the level of security you want to require of applications and devices:

  • MinimumSecurityLevel. This right specifies the minimum security level that is required of an application that plays protected content on a computer or device.

    When a consumer tries to play the Windows Media file, the minimum security level specified in the license is compared to the security level of the player application or device. The result determines whether the Windows Media file can be played.

    When specifying a minimum security level for your Windows Media files, consider whether you want your Windows Media files to be available to a wide market (require a low security level) or whether you want to restrict playback of your Windows Media files to very secure players and devices (require a higher security level).

    The following table shows examples of application security levels for different players and devices.

    Security level Players and devices Example
    150 Devices that do not support Windows Media DRM. DRM protection is removed when the content is transferred to such a device. Devices that support Windows Media-based content but not protected content
    1,000 Player applications based on Windows Media Format 9.5 SDK and earlier that do not meet additional requirements for level 2000.

    Devices based on Windows Media Portable Device DRM v1.

    Devices based on Windows CE 4.2 and later.

    Windows Media Player 6.4, Windows Media Player 7

    Windows Media Player for Pocket PC or SmartPhone

    2,000 Player applications based on Windows Media Format 9 Series SDK or later, and that follow a stricter set of content protection guidelines than applications at level 1000.

    Devices based on Windows Media DRM 10 for Portable Devices.

    Devices based on Windows Media DRM 10 for Network Devices.

    Windows Media Player 9 Series and later

    Portable media devices that support Windows Media DRM 10 for Portable Devices

    Windows Mobile-based Portable Media Centers

  • MinimumClientSDKSecurity. This right specifies the minimum security level that is required of the Windows Media Format SDK on which a player application is based.

    All player applications that support packaged files have a component that is based on the Windows Media Format SDK. If you want your files to have greater security, you can require a minimum level of security for the Windows Media Format SDK on which a player application is based. Significant enhancements have been made starting with the Windows Media Format 7.1 SDK, including signature verification for codecs and the SDK component. For players based on the Windows Media Format 7.1 SDK or later, set the client SDK security to 3000. By default, this value is set to 0.

    You can determine whether a player application is based on Windows Media Format 7.1 SDK or later by checking the license request. Use the WMRMChallenge.CheckClientCapability property with the value MinimumClientSDKSecurity.

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