Case StudiesSoftware DevelopmentCybersecurity and Infrastructuree-Learning and Publishing

Introduction

ARTHUR Publishing House, a leading name in the Romanian publishing industry and the largest children’s book publisher, aimed to improve the security of their digital content by implementing advanced content protection for their mobile e-reader apps.

ARTHUR partnered with OPTI to integrate the LCP (Licensed Content Protection) and Readium DRM (Digital Rights Management) technologies into their website and mobile applications.

Provocări tehnice

Challenges

Digital rights in the design of the e-book solution were essential. Requirements were:

Content security - ARTHUR Publishing House needed to ensure that their digital content, particularly e-books, was securely protected from unauthorized access and distribution.

Integration - The content protection system needed to integrate with the mobile e-reader apps, for iOS and Android, and the website.

User experience - It was essential to maintain a user-friendly experience for readers while implementing these security measures.

"OPTI has been our main partner in web software development, web maintenance, and hosting for our business. We recommend their skills in software development as our requests and input are quickly translated into results, thus having a short launch-cycle."
- Bianca Chirică, Editura ARTHUR

Solution

OPTI provided a solution by implementing the LCP/Readium DRM system into the mobile e-reader apps, in two phases.

LCP Server setup

The LCP server is written in the Go programming language and comprises three main configured components:

  1. Lcpencrypt: An encryption tool for content that generates an encrypted file and notifies the license server.
  2. Lcpserver: A license server responsible for generating licenses, protecting publications, updating rights, and managing licenses.
  3. Lsdserver: A license status server that handles device registrations, license status updates, and license revocations.

Readium DRM integration in site and apps

  • Integration with the ARTHUR web site allowed encrypting EPUB files, generating, managing and revoking licenses.
  • Integration with the iOS / Android apps ensured that only licensed users have acces to the sold e-books.

Advantages of LCP/Readium for the client

  • It is a vendor-neutral solution: It is easy to integrate in ARTHUR’S apps and web site.
  • No cost per transaction and cost effective: There is no cost per license for ARTHUR.
  • It respects GDPR: no third party can access user data or ebook content.
Implementing DRM (Digital Rights Management) is crucial for protecting intellectual property. We chose the open-source Readium LCP solution for its flexibility and lack of per-transaction costs. The integration with mobile apps and the website created a secure ecosystem for ebook distribution