Why offline DRM protection is important?

As someone involved in an industry that requires you to deal with highly classified and sensitive data, storing those records and documents can be a challenge. Data or document security is obviously a leading priority when it comes to keeping them safe at all times, both online and offline.

In most circumstances, it is easy to secure a document when an online connection is available. But how can you ensure document security if you are not connected digitally with the recipient or the entity? Unfortunately, no document security solution provides you with this aspect other than digital rights management [DRM] software.

Let's look at why you need to secure your data offline with DRM.

• To prevent irreparable damage to your business - Whether you belong to a big corporation or a new start-up, or even an entrepreneur, data theft or web theft can result in a massive disruption to your day-to-day operations. In the absence of offline DRM security, you are essentially leaving your data open to the consequences of such attacks that can be frustrating and, at worst irreparable. However, they can be easily avoidable if you have the appropriate safeguards in place with offline DRM. If you're looking to ensure business continuity, you need to invest in the right DRM solution.
• To protect against malware - Malicious software can cause colossal amounts of data damage. That means your document lying in a user's PC or network infected with malware stands to be breached without your knowledge. Malware swarming on unprotected machines without you even knowing about it can drop, leak and steal data from your document. Offline DRM protects your essential, sensitive documents as the security travels with your file regardless of where it lies. It prevents unauthorized usage of your data as it travels with your protected information anywhere it goes. Besides, you also get complete control of how the file is being accessed, allowing you to track its usage and revoke access when needed.
• To manage your documents - Document security works best when offline DRM allows you to grant access to your data on a need to know basis. With offline DRM, you can block your documents and restrict access effectively to ensure a secure environment. Besides, your offline DRM system presents you with audit trails that monitor how your document has been viewed and prevents any attempt made to modify the content.
  
• To ensure data integrity - When you send documents as PDFs, it can expose the file to being edited or altered without your permission. However, with offline DRM, your PDF file cannot be edited without your consent or knowledge. Offline DRM protects your PDFs from hackers or retrieving the metadata. Besides, other copy controls further enable you to ensure that the documents accessed by recipients cannot be altered in any manner.

The need for offline DRM security

The right DRM solution allows you to choose the controls you wish to apply on your protected documents and how you want to enforce those DRM controls offline. An advanced and forward-looking DRM solution will not allow you to impose additional controls or enforce Internet connections when gathering data about your users on any of the protected documents sent to them.

It is crucial to choose an effective DRM protection system that maintains the confidentiality of the document without compromising its contents in any manner. In addition, you must be able to limit access whenever required, either through complete offline protection, one-time activation auto hybrid offline protection. These controls depend on what is suitable for your organization and hinge on the current requirements for your files.

For instance, a hybrid DRM system offers you the right balance between usability and security. That means you can apply optional controls to a mandatory connection after a specific number of days without compromising on usability. On the other hand, if you are in the business of selling documents as a product, you may want to provide your users or buyers with additional freedom. In this case, offering them a one-time activation and licensing check can be ideal.

Finding the right DRM solution that gives you the flexibility and freedom of choice between enforcement types depending upon your business requirement is important. That is why you need an advanced and forward-looking DRM solution that gives you complete end-to-end security, both online and offline.

Conclusion

There's a lot to be expressed in favour of offline DRM, especially if you want to protect your intellectual property, copyright information or any sensitive data. Offline DRM can make a significant impact on your business' overarching security strategy while at the same time enhancing overall performance and productivity. However, if you're looking to take advantage of the many benefits that offline DRM has to offer, you need to implement the right DRM solution for your documents today.