Cybercrime: Worse Than Initially Thought

Cybercrime: Worse Than Initially Thought

The cyber world, still in its relative infancy, presents a unique challenge. Unlike other forms of assets, cyber assets are tantalizingly accessible to wrongdoers in far-flung corners of the globe. This physical distance affords criminals significant protections against apprehension, resulting in lower risks. With the vast realm of cyber assets and activities valued in the trillions of dollars, the potential payoff remains staggeringly high.

Recalling the 2017 WannaCry Ransomware Cyber Attack

 WannaCry ransomware cyber attack should make us wanna cry
WannaCry ransomware cyber attack should make us wanna cry

In 2017, the world experienced the widespread WannaCry ransomware cyber attack, which impacted approximately 200,000 computers in over 150 countries. This attack exploited vulnerabilities in unpatched Microsoft Windows systems, encrypting users’ files and demanding Bitcoin ransoms for decryption. It had severe global consequences, affecting various sectors, including healthcare, finance, and government agencies, with hospitals facing significant disruptions. The economic cost of WannaCry was estimated to be in the billions of pounds, highlighting the urgent need for cybersecurity vigilance and proactive measures in our interconnected digital world.

Beyond Privacy and Security: Unveiling Economic Losses

While discussions about cybercrime often revolve around privacy and security breaches, the economic toll is equally substantial. Regrettably, research and data on this aspect of cybercrime remain limited. Data collection grapples with small sample sizes and other challenges, casting shadows of doubt on accuracy.

A Closer Look: Assessing Cybercrime Losses in the U.S.

In a recent report by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), I delved into the losses incurred by the U.S. manufacturing industry due to cybercrime. This analysis involved scrutinizing an underutilized dataset from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, widely recognized for its statistical reliability. The dataset, stemming from a 2005 survey of 36,000 businesses with 8,079 responses, represents the most extensive sample available for evaluating aggregated U.S. cybercrime losses.

Estimating the Scale: Unveiling Astonishing Figures

Through the application of statistical methods designed to address data uncertainty, I extrapolated both upper and lower bounds. The results were eye-opening, placing 2016 U.S. manufacturing losses between 0.4% and 1.7% of manufacturing value-added, equating to a range of $8.3 billion to $36.3 billion. These losses extended to all industries, amounting to 0.9% to 4.1% of the total U.S. gross domestic product (GDP), ranging from $167.9 billion to $770.0 billion. Remarkably, even the lower bound surpassed widely cited yet largely unsubstantiated estimates from McAfee.

Hidden Depths: The True Magnitude of Cybercrime Losses

Hidden Depths: The True Magnitude of Cybercrime Losses
Hidden Depths: The True Magnitude of Cybercrime Losses

What makes these estimates startling is that, despite exceeding commonly cited figures, the assumptions I employed to calculate losses substantially depressed the lower bound estimate. This suggests that the actual losses may be far higher. My low estimate assumed that businesses not responding to the Bureau of Justice Statistics survey experienced no losses. This implied that 77% of the 36,000 surveyed businesses were presumed to have suffered no loss, hinting that the true loss likely surpasses the low estimate.

The Shifting Landscape: A Digital Economy in Flux

Furthermore, the 2005 data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics reflects an era when cybercrime held less prominence, and the digital economy was in its infancy. If this data accurately represents reality—where respondents’ companies’ average losses align with the actual average U.S. losses per company—the losses approach the high estimate of $36.3 billion for manufacturing and $770 billion for all industries. This would signify total cybercrime losses surpassing the GDP of numerous U.S. sectors, including construction, mining, and agriculture. If losses per company have outpaced inflation, which is probable, the figures would be even more substantial.

A Paradigm Shift: Cybercrime vs. Traditional Crime

Many other estimates, including widely cited ones, often lack the technical details of data collection and analysis. Some assume that the ceiling of cybercrime losses should not exceed the cost of car crashes or petty theft in a given year. However, cybercrime stands apart from other property crimes or losses. Traditional property losses necessitate physical presence, limiting the scope of loss or damage. For instance, a burglar must physically enter a home or business to steal property. In contrast, cyber assets remain potentially accessible to would-be criminals across the globe, eliminating the need for physical presence.

A Paradigm Shift: Cybercrime vs. Traditional Crime

The removal of this physical presence barrier reshapes the landscape of criminal activity, making cybercrime more prevalent. As a personal example, my information has been stolen numerous times, while my home has never been burglarized. Finding a cybercriminal requires merely checking my email inbox, but locating a burglar remains a mystery.

The Ongoing Challenge: Staying Ahead of the Curve

My report meticulously describes the methods used, relies on publicly available data, and does not assume that cybercrime losses resemble those of other crime categories. However, since the data I utilized from the Bureau of Justice Statistics dates back to 2005, these estimates likely err on the conservative side. The digital economy, measured in real dollars, burgeoned by 129% between 2005 and 2016, a growth factor not incorporated into the calculations. Moreover, the number of businesses used for estimation decreased in 2016, according to the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs, further lowering the low-end loss estimate.

Economic Implications: Hindered Growth

In recent years, U.S. economic growth has averaged between 2% and 3%, at least before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although considered robust, my estimates suggest that the economy could have expanded even more rapidly were it not for the scourge of cybercrime. With the U.S. being a prosperous nation and boasting a commonly spoken language—facilitating a larger pool of potential offenders—it stands as a prime target for cybercrime. Underestimating this risk may lead businesses and government entities to underinvest in mitigation strategies, such as IT security expertise, data risk management, or recommended security measures. The result is unnecessary, potentially substantial losses. In cases involving intellectual property, these losses can dampen incentives for research and development investment, further curbing economic growth.

The Urgent Need: A Deeper Understanding of Cybercrime Loss

My report’s implication is that widely accepted estimates of cybercrime loss may significantly underestimate the true extent of these losses. Addressing a problem like cybercrime necessitates understanding the magnitude of the loss, the types of losses incurred, and the contexts in which they arise. Without continued data collection, we remain in the dark about the scale of our losses. However, the evidence strongly indicates that these losses are greater than initially thought.

What are the negative effects of cyber crime?

What are the negative effects of cyber crime?

In an era where the internet and its interconnected devices assume an increasingly central role in our lives, we discover ourselves growing ever more reliant on this digital realm. However, this profound shift has also brought about various advantages across numerous sectors, albeit accompanied by the looming threat of cybercrime.

It has made online purchases more convenient, cost-effective, and secure, transformed long-distance communication, and accelerated the dissemination of information. However, this growing reliance on the internet has also given rise to a menacing specter: cybercrime. Across the globe, cybercriminals and hackers are actively exploiting the exchange of information and online transactions that occur on the internet, posing a significant threat to individuals and businesses, regardless of their online presence’s scale.

In this comprehensive article, we will delve into the multifaceted world of cybercrime. We will explore what cybercrime encompasses, its potential ramifications for businesses, and effective strategies for safeguarding your enterprise against these digital threats. Our journey will cover:

What Constitutes Cybercrime?

The term ‘cybercrime’ serves as an umbrella, encompassing a wide array of criminal activities carried out through the internet, typically facilitated by electronic devices, such as computers, connected to the web. These cybercrimes assume various forms and pose varying levels of risk.

Motivations Behind Cybercrimes

Motivations Behind Cybercrimes
Motivations Behind Cybercrimes

The primary driving force behind most cybercrime endeavors is financial gain. While some cyberattacks aim solely to inflict damage on digital assets or devices for political or personal reasons, these occurrences are relatively infrequent. Cybercriminals employ a diverse range of schemes and techniques to monetize their illicit activities. A few examples include:

  1. Extortion: Cybercriminals may seize vital or sensitive data and demand a ransom for its release. Modern cybercriminals employ tactics such as ransomware or structured Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks to extort victims.
  2. Phishing: Cybercriminals endeavor to acquire sensitive information by impersonating well-known individuals or brands. This form of cybercrime typically lures unsuspecting victims into divulging their personal information. The stolen data can be monetized in various ways, such as making unauthorized purchases using stolen credit card information or selling personally identifiable or sensitive data to third parties.

This list provides a glimpse into the strategies employed by cybercriminals to launch and profit from their attacks, though it is by no means exhaustive.

Diverse Forms of Cybercrimes

The U.S. Department of Justice categorizes cybercrimes into three main types:

  1. Criminal Activity Targeting Computers: This includes infecting devices with malware.
  2. Criminal Activity Utilizing Computers: Criminals employ computers to commit other crimes, like sending spam emails containing links to phishing sites.
  3. Criminal Activity Where Computers Serve as Accessories to Crimes: In this scenario, computers are used in tandem with other criminal activities, such as storing stolen credit card information.

Cybercriminals may engage in one or more of these activities concurrently. For instance, a cybercriminal might infect a computer with malware, gaining control of it, and subsequently employ the compromised computer to launch a DDoS attack against another target.

Illustrative Cybercrime Activities

Every day, a myriad of distinct cybercrime activities takes place, with new methods and technologies continuously emerging. Here are some notable examples:

  1. Phishing: This is among the most prevalent cybercrimes, involving the fraudulent impersonation of reputable entities or individuals to deceive victims into revealing personal or sensitive information. Phishing is not confined to email; it can also occur through other communication channels like text messages and social media direct messages.
    • Spear Phishing: A targeted form of phishing directed at specific individuals, often involving extensive research on the victim to craft convincing attacks.
    • HTTPS Phishing: Cybercriminals employ fake HTTPS websites, primarily through email, to trick users into sharing sensitive information.
    • Pharming: A technique redirecting users from intended websites to malicious ones, often initiated by malware infections.
  2. Malware Infection: Malware takes various forms, including computer viruses, Trojans, and worms. These malicious programs can modify or damage files, replicate themselves, or open backdoors for cybercriminals.
  3. Data Breach: This umbrella term covers multiple cybercrimes aimed at illicitly accessing confidential or sensitive information.
  4. Cybersquatting: Cybercriminals register and exploit domain names resembling those of legitimate businesses or individuals to profit from them, often by selling them at exorbitant prices.
  5. DDoS Attacks: Denial of Service (DoS) attacks aim to disrupt internet services, while Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks involve multiple unwitting computers overwhelming a target with requests.
  6. Crypto jacking: A relatively recent cybercrime, involving the hijacking of computer resources for cryptocurrency mining.
  7. Cyber Espionage: Attackers clandestinely obtain data from businesses or individuals without consent, often via hacking.

Potential Risks and Impacts of Cybercrime for Businesses

Cybercrime used to primarily threaten larger enterprises with prominent online footprints. However, recent trends indicate a shift towards targeting smaller businesses and organizations, capitalizing on their comparatively weaker security infrastructure. Consequently, no entity remains immune: while large corporations remain lucrative targets, smaller businesses and even individuals face significant risks.

Here are some of the critical negative repercussions cybercrime can inflict on businesses:

  1. Disruption of Service or Operations: Cyberattacks, such as DDoS and malware infections, can cause substantial disruptions to daily business operations, resulting in not only revenue losses but also potential harm to brand reputation. Hacktivist groups, in particular, may target organizations to protest perceived wrongdoings.
  2. Financial Repercussions: Cybercrimes can engender severe financial consequences, including loss of customer trust, competitive disadvantages due to leaked pricing strategies, indirect financial impacts from operational disruptions, extortion through ransomware, and expenses associated with hiring legal and cybersecurity experts.
    • For instance, Home Depot incurred a $13 million Settlement Fund in 2014 due to the theft of 50 million credit card records.
  3. Stolen or Infringed Intellectual Property: Certain cybercrimes aim to pilfer or violate a business’s intellectual property, such as domain squatting, which involves registering domains mirroring legitimate ones before the actual trademark holders can do so. Many businesses now store intellectual property in the cloud, making it vulnerable to cyberattacks.
  4. Forced Changes in Business Practices: The threat of cyberattacks or actual breaches can compel businesses to alter their daily operations, adapting to factors such as data breach threats or legislative changes like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Consumers’ growing concern for security also forces businesses to prioritize trust-building.
  5. Reputational Damage: Businesses can suffer long-lasting or permanent damage to their reputations following cybercrimes. Studies indicate that compromised companies may witness share price drops, and customers tend to trust affected businesses less, often ceasing transactions with them altogether.
    • For example, a 2021 report by Comparitech revealed that the share prices of breached companies dropped by an average of 3.5%.

Safeguarding Your Business from Cybercrimes

DRM: Safeguarding Your Business from Cybercrimes
DRM: Safeguarding Your Business from Cybercrimes

To protect your business from the ever-evolving landscape of cybercrimes, consider adopting the following best practices:

  1. Keep Everything Updated: Regularly update software and operating systems, including robust internet security solutions like antivirus software. Cybercriminals frequently exploit known vulnerabilities, making updates crucial for defense.
  2. Use Strong and Unique Passwords: Employ lengthy, complex passwords composed of letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid reusing passwords across different sites and change them periodically. Password management solutions can assist in generating and managing strong, unique passwords.
  3. Utilize Reliable Security Solutions: Given the diversity of cybercrimes targeting businesses, invest in comprehensive security software solutions, including:
    • Reliable antivirus and anti-malware software with AI-driven behavioral detection.
    • Bot detection and mitigation to safeguard against malicious bots.
    • Real-time Brand Protection Solutions for detecting trademark and copyright infringements and automating takedown requests.
  4. Educate and Train Your Employees: Your business’s security is only as robust as its least informed personnel. Include cybersecurity training as part of employee onboarding and update it regularly to reflect evolving threats. Place special emphasis on phishing awareness and response.

Looking Ahead

Cybercrime is no longer a concern exclusive to large enterprises; smaller businesses and individuals are equally at risk. It is incumbent upon everyone to protect themselves from cybercrime, as the consequences can be far-reaching. By following the actionable tips outlined above, you can establish a strong foundation for safeguarding your business and yourself from the perils of cybercrime.

Cybercrime To Cost The World $10.5 Trillion in 2025

Cybercrime To Cost The World $10.5 Trillion in 2025

In the digital age, our world is more connected than ever before. Unfortunately, this connectivity has a dark side – the exponential rise of cybercrime. The prospect of cybercrime costing the world a staggering $10.5 trillion in 2025 is an alarming reality that demands our immediate attention. In this article, we delve deep into the numbers and factors contributing to this ominous projection.

The Soaring Costs of Cybercrime

The Soaring Costs of Cybercrime
The Soaring Costs of Cybercrime

The financial toll of cybercrime is escalating at an astonishing rate. To put this into perspective, in 2021 alone, cybercrime inflicted an eye-watering $6 trillion in damages globally. This colossal figure not only places cybercrime among the top threats to our digital world but also positions it as the third-largest “economy” worldwide, trailing only the United States and China.

But what is even more concerning is the trajectory of these costs. Cybersecurity experts predict a relentless upward trend, with global spending on cybersecurity products and services exceeding $1 trillion between 2017 and 2021. By 2025, the costs of cybercrime are projected to reach a mind-boggling $10.5 trillion. This projection is not just a statistical estimate; it is a stark warning that we must heed.

Factors Driving Cybercrime Costs

The following factors are fueling the relentless rise in cybercrime costs:

  1. Rapid Technological Advancements: Technology continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, providing cybercriminals with more tools and opportunities. They continuously develop new tactics to breach security systems, steal data, and disrupt operations. This technological arms race poses a significant challenge to global cybersecurity efforts.
  2. Digital Transformation: The ongoing digital transformation across industries creates a multitude of attack surfaces for cybercriminals to exploit. As more critical functions become digital, the stakes get higher.
  3. Proliferation of Ransomware: Ransomware attacks have reached epidemic proportions globally. Cybercriminals employ this malicious software to lock users out of their own data and demand ransoms for its release. The success of these attacks has led to substantial financial losses, contributing significantly to rising cybercrime costs.
  4. Data Privacy Concerns: The introduction of stricter data privacy regulations means that data breaches and non-compliance penalties come at a high cost. The fallout from data breaches adds to the economic impact of cybercrime.
  5. Global Interconnectedness: Our world is deeply interconnected, and this interconnectedness amplifies the consequences of cyberattacks. These attacks can have far-reaching repercussions, affecting multiple countries and industries. This global interdependence magnifies the scale of financial losses.

The Urgent Need for Cybersecurity Vigilance

Mitigating the risks and reducing the projected costs of cybercrime requires immediate and coordinated action. Governments, businesses, and individuals must prioritize cybersecurity investments in prevention, response strategies, and compliance with data protection regulations.

International cooperation and information sharing are paramount to combat cyber threats effectively. Cybersecurity is a dynamic field that demands constant vigilance and adaptation to protect against ever-evolving cybercriminal tactics.

The Urgent Need for Cybersecurity Vigilance

The sobering projection that cybercrime will cost the world $10.5 trillion in 2025 is a wake-up call for our digital society. As our reliance on digital technology continues to grow, robust cybersecurity measures have never been more critical. The world must unite in its efforts to fortify defenses, foster innovation, and safeguard against the impending cyberstorm that threatens to reshape the global landscape.

Inaction is not an option. The time to act is now. Let these figures serve as a stark reminder of the urgent need for cybersecurity vigilance on a global scale. Together, we can fortify our digital world against the growing tide of cyber threats.

How to Deliver Targeted Ads at Scale?

How to Deliver Targeted Ads at Scale?

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital advertising, delivering targeted ads at scale is the name of the game. Advertisers are constantly seeking innovative ways to reach larger audiences effectively, enhance ad relevance, and ensure a high-quality experience for both ads and content. This is where Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) emerges as a game-changer. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll delve into the world of SSAI and explore how it can help you deliver targeted ads at scale while providing engaging quality experiences. Additionally, we’ll uncover field-proven strategies for large-scale targeted ad workflows.

Understanding the Power of SSAI

What Is SSAI?

Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) plays a pivotal role in enabling the delivery of targeted ads at scale
Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) plays a pivotal role in enabling the delivery of targeted ads at scale

Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) is a cutting-edge technology that enables seamless ad insertion into digital content streams on the server side. Unlike Client-Side Ad Insertion (CSAI), which relies on the user’s device to insert ads, SSAI executes this process on the server before delivering the content to the viewer. This distinction is crucial for delivering targeted ads at scale efficiently.

The Advantages of SSAI

  1. Reduced Ad Blockers: Since ads are seamlessly inserted on the server side, they are less likely to be blocked by ad-blocker extensions, ensuring a broader reach for your advertisements.
  2. Enhanced User Experience: SSAI ensures a smooth transition between content and ads, eliminating buffering issues or abrupt interruptions, leading to a better quality of experience for viewers.
  3. Detailed Analytics: SSAI provides comprehensive analytics, allowing advertisers to gather valuable insights into ad performance and viewer engagement.

Addressing Large Audiences with Targeted Ads

The Challenge of Scalability

One of the primary challenges in digital advertising is efficiently reaching a large and diverse audience while ensuring that the ads resonate with individual viewers. Traditional advertising methods often struggle to deliver targeted ads at scale due to limitations in ad insertion and tracking.

Leveraging SSAI for Scalability

SSAI enables advertisers to address large audiences with precision. Here’s how:

  1. Real-time Decisioning: SSAI solutions can analyze viewer data in real-time, allowing advertisers to make data-driven decisions and select the most relevant ads for each viewer.
  2. Dynamic Ad Stitching: SSAI dynamically stitches ads into the content stream, ensuring a seamless viewing experience. This capability is especially crucial for live content, where precise ad timing is essential.
  3. Granular Targeting: SSAI systems can segment audiences based on various criteria, such as demographics, geography, and viewing history. This granular targeting ensures that ads are tailored to the preferences and interests of individual viewers.
  4. Scalable Infrastructure: SSAI solutions are designed to handle large-scale ad delivery efficiently, ensuring that targeted ads reach millions of viewers without performance issues.

Increasing Ad Relevance for Live and On-Demand Content

The Importance of Ad Relevance

Irrelevant ads can be a major turn-off for viewers, leading to ad fatigue and decreased engagement. To combat this, advertisers must strive to deliver ads that align with the content and viewer preferences.

Leveraging SSAI for Ad Relevance

SSAI is a powerful tool for enhancing ad relevance. Here’s how SSAI can help:

  1. Contextual Targeting: SSAI systems can analyze the content being viewed and select ads that are contextually relevant. For example, if a viewer is watching a sports event, SSAI can insert sports-related ads.
  2. Viewer Profiling: By collecting data on viewer behavior and preferences, SSAI can build viewer profiles. These profiles enable advertisers to serve ads that align with each viewer’s interests.
  3. Frequency Capping: SSAI solutions can implement frequency capping to ensure that viewers do not see the same ad repeatedly. This prevents ad fatigue and enhances the viewer’s experience.
  4. A/B Testing: Advertisers can use SSAI to conduct A/B testing of different ad creatives, ensuring that only the most effective ads are delivered to viewers.

Delivering Engaging Quality of Experience for Ads and Content

Seamless Integration of Ads

A major concern for advertisers is delivering ads that seamlessly integrate with the content. Viewers are more likely to engage with ads that feel like a natural part of their viewing experience.

Leveraging SSAI for Quality Integration

SSAI: Elegant solution for ad insertion
Sigma DAI: Elegant solution for ad insertion

SSAI excels in delivering a high-quality experience for both ads and content:

  1. Buffer-Free Transitions: SSAI ensures smooth transitions between content and ads, eliminating buffering delays or abrupt switches that can frustrate viewers.
  2. Consistent Viewing Experience: With SSAI, the video quality and viewing experience remain consistent throughout the content, including ad breaks.
  3. Interactive Ads: SSAI enables interactive ad formats, allowing viewers to engage with ads, such as choosing to watch a longer ad in exchange for an ad-free viewing experience.
  4. Ad Personalization: SSAI can personalize ads based on viewer data, making the ads more engaging and relevant to individual viewers.

Winning Strategies with Field-Proven Large-Scale Targeted Ad Workflows

Strategy 1: Data-Driven Targeting

Embrace data-driven targeting by leveraging SSAI’s real-time decisioning capabilities. Analyze viewer data to understand preferences and behaviors, and use this information to select and serve targeted ads. Continuously refine your targeting strategies based on performance data.

Strategy 2: Contextual Advertising

Implement contextual advertising with SSAI by analyzing the content being viewed. Align ad creatives with the context of the content, ensuring that ads feel relevant and seamlessly integrated. This strategy is particularly effective for live events and news content.

Strategy 3: Viewer Profiling

Build detailed viewer profiles using SSAI. Collect data on viewing history, demographics, and interactions. Leverage these profiles to personalize ad delivery and ensure that each viewer receives ads tailored to their interests.

Strategy 4: A/B Testing

Constantly optimize your ad creatives by conducting A/B testing with SSAI. Test different ad variations to identify the most effective ones. Implement the winning ad creatives to improve engagement and conversion rates.

Strategy 5: Ad Quality Assurance

Prioritize ad quality by ensuring that ads are well-produced and optimized for various devices and screen sizes. SSAI can deliver high-quality ads, but it’s essential to create compelling ad content.

Conclusion

In the dynamic world of digital advertising, delivering targeted ads at scale is both a challenge and an opportunity. Server-Side Ad Insertion (SSAI) empowers advertisers to overcome scalability hurdles, enhance ad relevance, and provide a seamless viewing experience. By adopting innovative SSAI strategies and field-proven workflows, advertisers can maximize the impact of their ad campaigns, engage viewers effectively, and drive results in the competitive digital advertising landscape. Stay ahead of the curve and make SSAI an integral part of your advertising arsenal to deliver targeted ads at scale like never before.

Can Server Side Ads Enhance the Viewer Experience?

Can Server Side Ads Enhance the Viewer Experience?

In recent years, numerous streaming video publishers have shifted from client-side ad insertion to server-side ad insertion (SSAI). SSAI seamlessly integrates ad creatives into the video stream, maintaining playback quality similar to the video segments. The primary aim is to enhance the viewer’s experience, aligning ad breaks in streaming videos more closely with traditional TV ad breaks. Secondary goals include simplifying video player development by eliminating the need for ad SDKs and minimizing ad losses due to ad blockers.

However, does SSAI technology genuinely enhance the viewer experience?

To validate this expectation, a comparison of quality of experience data for server-side versus client-side ads is necessary.

Thudo Multimedia conducted an analysis of 3.3 billion on-demand video streams across desktop, Roku, and Android Fire TV players in June and July 2023.

Firstly, video completion rates and startup times were compared between client-side and server-side ads. It was discovered that content completion rates are 5% to 10% higher for videos with server-side ads, despite a 1 to 2-second delay in video startup times. This suggests that SSAI systems introduce additional latency, which might lead to viewers dropping off while waiting for the video to start. However, once the viewer begins playing a video, they are more likely to watch it to completion.

Secondly, the study aimed to determine whether dynamic ad insertion in SSAI systems increased video startup times. By comparing startup times on SSAI video streams with no dynamically inserted ads to those with ads, it was observed that video streams with no ads had a one-second shorter startup time and resulted in 2% to 5% higher video completion rates than those with ads.

Furthermore, ad creative buffering and average bit rates were compared between client-side and SSAI streams, revealing that these metrics were comparable, with differences primarily linked to variations in video player and platform rather than the use of SSAI.

SSAI: Elegant solution for ad insertion
SSAI: Elegant solution for ad insertion

In conclusion, while SSAI ads undeniably contribute to a better viewer experience once a viewer starts watching, they may potentially cause more viewers to drop off before the video begins. Recommendations for publishers transitioning to SSAI include collaborating with SSAI vendors to improve video startup times when inserting ads, enhancing the video app experience by combining client-side and server-side ads, and carefully balancing video streams with and without ads based on viewer segments. Utilizing Thudo Multimedia for stream monitoring allows for identification of areas for improvement and the implementation of strategies to optimize the move to SSAI.

Best Digital Rights Management (DRM) Software in 2023

Best Digital Rights Management (DRM) Software in 2023

Digital Rights Management (DRM) software is vital in today’s digital landscape where businesses frequently share files, host media assets, and distribute branded content.

The significance of protecting your digital assets cannot be overstated, making the selection of reliable DRM software essential. DRM solutions come equipped with a diverse range of features meticulously designed to safeguard digital content and enforce stringent usage parameters, ensuring the utmost security and controlled access for your valuable assets.

In this article, we’ll delve into some top DRM solutions that empower businesses to safeguard their digital assets effectively.

1. Sigma DRM

Sigma DRM: Fortifying Your Digital Assets
Best Digital Rights Management (DRM) Software in 2023

Sigma DRM, thoroughly evaluated by Cartesian, proudly stands as a Vietnamese product that competes effectively with Sigma DRM solutions from global organizations. It’s designed to offer content providers closer copyright protection, both in terms of quality and cost. Currently, Sigma DRM is instrumental in safeguarding TV content for groups like K+, Box, VTVcab, as well as Hollywood movie content on the VTVcab ON TV application.

Key Benefits:

  • Issuing licenses per content and individual user, ensuring unique access.
  • Suited for both LIVE and VOD digital content.
  • Cloud-based server deployment for high availability.
  • Support for HDCP and Rotation Key.
  • Compatibility with popular platforms like Android, iOS, Web, WebOS, and Tizen.
  • Seamless integration with pre-built SDK systems.
  • Integration with popular transcode systems like Wowza and ffmpeg.
  • Robust user security and user-friendly CMS system.

2. Digify

Digify empowers users to set and enforce copyright protection for intellectual property, including market research, eBooks, training materials, reports, and confidential documents. With Digify, you can control distribution, restrict and revoke access, and gain insights through analytics.

Key Benefits:

  • Control over document distribution with download/print restrictions and automatic watermarking.
  • Revocable access and time-bound permissions.
  • Detailed analytics for user activity tracking.

3. Vitrium

Vitrium offers features like encryption, access control, and usage tracking to ensure businesses’ digital content remains secure. It provides in-depth insights through reporting, making content management a breeze.

Key Benefits:

  • Military-grade encryption for various file formats.
  • Access control for users and user groups, compatible with credentialing systems.
  • Distribution controls, including browser limits, time-bound access, and watermarks.

4. Caplinked

CapLinked is a user-friendly platform for secure file sharing and collaboration, ideal for tracking digital assets such as contracts and sensitive information. It boasts encryption and access controls, making it a reliable choice for content management.

Key Benefits:

  • Complete access control for document sharing.
  • No need for plugins or frequent updates.
  • Comprehensive activity tracking with real-time analytics.

5. Widevine DRM

Widevine DRM is known for its adaptability and scalability, catering to enterprises of all sizes and industries. It works across devices and platforms, tracking content usage to help content owners make informed distribution decisions.

Key Benefits:

  • Universal device coverage and content protection.
  • Standardized video playback and industry-adopted media containers.
  • Robust device security with hardware-backed encryption.

6. MemberSpace

MemberSpace simplifies subscription and membership management, offering restricted access levels and benefits. It ensures the security of members-only content and provides reporting and analytics for insights.

Key Benefits:

  • Quick access control setup for web pages.
  • Monetization and protection of web content.

7. Brandfolder

Brandfolder is a centralized platform for storing, organizing, and sharing digital assets. It enhances creative and marketing teams’ efficiency with collaboration, workflow management, and reporting tools.

Key Benefits:

  • Improved engagement with high-quality, fast-loading creative.
  • Streamlined collaboration between design and development teams.

In a world where digital content security is paramount, these DRM solutions empower businesses to protect their valuable assets, monitor usage, and ensure content is used as intended. You can check DRM pricing and cost here.

Choosing competitive DRM software that suits your needs and budget is vital to protect your digital assets effectively in today’s digital landscape. These DRM solutions offer a wide array of features to ensure your content is secure and used as intended.