Content Security Management in the Entertainment Industry

Last year around this time, fans of the HBO series “Game of Thrones”, were enthralled with the final season. Forums were filled with well-thought-out theories and predictions, Twitter timelines were crowded with memes following each episode, and thousands of blogs carried post-episode reviews. The blockbuster series captured the attention of the world, making the final season of Game of Thrones one of the highest value, highest risk entertainment products of all time.

Keep reading the blog post to learn:

• Why the media & entertainment industry face so many cybersecurity challenges
• How the Trusted Partner Network helps safeguard against third-party risks
• What a Trusted Partner Network certification means for content security management

In the media and entertainment industry, content is king, but content security management is queen. Content is created and supported by a huge ecosystem of vendors who weave in and out of the pre, during, and post-production process, so the challenge that the media and entertainment industry face is: how to best protect that content.

Cybersecurity challenges facing the media & entertainment industry

The theft and leaking of intellectual property is an incredible risk when production houses and other entertainment companies do not have the right physical and digital security controls in place, costing potentially millions in lost revenue. Look at the 2017 example when the new season of the popular Netflix series “Orange is the New Black” was stolen for ransom by a hacker.

What is interesting about this story, is that the script was not stolen from the streaming giant itself, but from a smaller post-production company that handled digital mixing for many networks and studios. It is these smaller organizations that cybercriminals target, as they are often the weaker link in the production supply chain.

This data breach is an important lesson in why implementing the right third-party risk management process is absolutely essential for businesses in all industries. In response to the Netflix hack and many other cybercriminal attacks targeted at the TV and film industry, the Trusted Partner Network (TPN) was formed.

Safeguard against third-party risks with the Trusted Partner Network (TPN)

With the growing security threat that the entertainment industry faces due to increased collaboration with third-party vendors, the TPN was formed to help companies raise security awareness and preparedness. The goal of the network is to “prevent leaks, breaches, and hacks of their customers’ movies and television shows prior to their intended release.” The TPN program establishes a benchmark of standardized security controls for all vendors and their staff, creating a single global directory of “trusted partner” vendors that content companies, like film and entertainment studios, have access to.

The TPN is a joint venture between the Motion Picture Association (MPA) and the Content Delivery & Security Association (CDSA), the worldwide leaders in third-party entertainment industry assessments. Members of the MPA include Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Studios and Netflix.

What does the Trusted Partner Network mean for content owners?

Similar to how the healthcare industry requires third-party vendors to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the handling of medical records, content owners can be sure that vendors with “Trusted Partner” status have had their processes and solutions assessed to ensure that all content will remain secure from capture to delivery. A huge time saver for organizations that spend a lot of time completing their own due diligence and third-party risk assessments.

Here at Tehama, we recently celebrated our completion of the TPN assessment, which is an important milestone for our business. With this, our customers can be sure that our cloud-based SaaS platform has rigorous security practices and controls in place surrounding identity control, desktop access, IP protection, and deep forensic auditing. Auditing also includes session recording that captures all work performed in real-time.

Our partner, Teradici, had this to say about the TPN assessment . “Safeguarding digital assets is a key priority for our media and entertainment customers, and even more so now that many of them are working remotely,” said Paul Austin, director of global channels for Teradici. “A TPN-certified solution from Tehama is welcome option that can support their security requirements while also providing the flexibility, usability and sustainability they need.”

With a platform like Tehama, third-party vendors and content owners can deliver on work collaboratively and securely, with a zero-trust network model.

To learn more about our solution, start a chat with us or fill out a contact form.