Encrypt a live stream

This page explains how to encrypt live stream content. The Live Stream API does not create or manage encryption keys or licenses directly. Instead, you must use a third-party digital rights management (DRM) provider for these features. Once encryption keys have been created for your media, pass those keys to the Live Stream API using Secret Manager.

Encryption settings are specified in the Channel settings. Once streaming begins, the Live Stream API video pipeline begins encrypting your content. The output manifest includes information required to decrypt the content within your media player of choice.

Supported configurations

Streaming protocol	Container	DRM system	Encryption scheme
HLS	TS	ClearKey	aes128
HLS	TS	ClearKey	sampleAes
HLS	TS	FairPlay	sampleAes
HLS	fMP4	FairPlay	mpegCenc cbcs only
MPEG-DASH	fMP4	ClearKey	mpegCenc cenc or cbcs
MPEG-DASH	fMP4	Widevine	mpegCenc cenc or cbcs
HLS	fMP4	Widevine	mpegCenc cenc or cbcs
MPEG-DASH	fMP4	PlayReady	mpegCenc cenc or cbcs
HLS	fMP4	PlayReady	mpegCenc cenc or cbcs

Add the encryption key to Secret Manager

Before you begin, create your encryption keys using your third-party DRM provider of choice.

The Live Stream API requires your secret to contain the encryption key in the following JSON format, along with other necessary information.

See the DRM protocol documentation for a description of each field. Note that you need to convert from snake case to camel case for JSON format.

Example JSON

{
  "encryptionKeys": [
    {
      // Key for FairPlay configuration.
      "keyId": "d569cb35bd0548c7a99d92feb381df13",
      "key": "f1967daca83e81f38d80aa741e7b32c2",
      "iv": "8d80aa741e7b32c2f1967daca83e81f3",
      "keyUri": "skd://d569cb35bd0548c7a99d92feb381df13",
      "matchers": [
        {
          "muxStreams": ["ts_fairplay"]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      // Key for Widevine configurations.
      "keyId": "44ec248b048c43a6a6ee58a752c6f9f8",
      "key": "f1967daca83e81f38d80aa741e7b32c2",
      "keyUri": "skd://44ec248b048c43a6a6ee58a752c6f9f8",
      "matchers": [
        {
          "muxStreams": [
            "fmp4_widevine_cenc_video",
            "fmp4_widevine_cenc_audio",
            "fmp4_widevine_cbcs_video",
            "fmp4_widevine_cbcs_audio"
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      // Key for PlayReady configurations.
      "keyId": "8beed229709f480bb6004ec0f33e82d1",
      "key": "ad20cd838f354dcc8a77c443d08ff09f",
      "keyUri": "skd://8beed229709f480bb6004ec0f33e82d1",
      "matchers": [
        {
          "muxStreams": [
            "fmp4_playready_cenc_video",
            "fmp4_playready_cenc_audio",
            "fmp4_playready_cbcs_video",
            "fmp4_playready_cbcs_audio"
          ]
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      // Key for all ClearKey configurations.
      "keyId": "3d9dccb479c64adbb6e514790caa7822",
      "key": "f1967daca83e81f38d80aa741e7b32c2",
      "keyUri": "https://example.com/keys/3d9dccb479c64adbb6e514790caa7822.bin",
      "iv": "8d80aa741e7b32c2f1967daca83e81f3"
      // No `matchers` field. This is the default key to use when none of the keys above match.
    }
  ]
}

If your encryption configuration (for example, FairPlay) requires an explicit initialization vector (IV) but it is not included, the API will use the value of keyId for the value of iv.

To add your encryption key, do either of the following:

Manually add and configure keys. Use the preceding JSON data, add your encryption key to Secret Manager following the steps at Create a secret.
Implement a key publisher that obtains any needed encryption keys and writes them to Secret Manager as secret versions. See a sample implementation that runs as a Cloud Functions.

Note: Implementing Secret Manager might incur some additional costs.

Then, do the following to configure your encryption key:

Configure IAM permissions on your secret so that the Live Stream API can access the secret content. To do this, grant the secretmanager.secretAccessor role to the service-PROJECT_NUMBER@gcp-sa-livestream.iam.gserviceaccount.com service account (this is similar to how the service account has access to your Cloud Storage buckets).
Find the resource name of the secret version you created (for example, projects/PROJECT_NUMBER/secrets/SECRET_ID/versions/VERSION_ID). You need this name to configure the channel.

Configure the channel

Encryption settings are specified using objects in the encryptions array at the Channel level. A unique identifier (id) is assigned to each different configuration. Each muxStream uses an identifier to indicate which encryption configuration to use, or omits that field to remain unencrypted.

JSON format

{
  // other channel settings …
  "encryptions": [
    {
      // Identifier for this encryption configuration, to be specified in muxStream(s).
      "id": string,
      // Configuration for secrets stored in Google Secret Manager.
      "secretManagerKeySource": {
        // The name of the Secret Version containing the encryption key.
        // `projects/{project}/secrets/{secret_id}/versions/{version_number}`
        // Using {version_number} of `latest` is not supported.
        "secretVersion": string
      },
      // DRM system(s) that will be used. At least one must be specified. If a DRM system
      // is omitted, it will be considered disabled.
      "drmSystems": {
        // Widevine configuration.
        "widevine": {},
        // FairPlay configuration.
        "fairplay": {},
        // PlayReady configuration.
        "playready": {},
        // ClearKey configuration.
        "clearkey": {}
      },
      // Union field encryption_mode can be only one of the following:
      // Configuration for HLS AES-128 encryption.
      "aes128": {},
      // Configuration for HLS SAMPLE-AES encryption.
      "sampleAes": {},
      // Configuration for MPEG-DASH Common Encryption (MPEG-CENC).
      "mpegCenc": {
        // Specify the encryption scheme. Supported schemes:
        // - `cenc` - AES-CTR subsample
        // - `cbcs`- AES-CBC subsample pattern
        "scheme": string
      }
      // End of list of possible types for union field encryption_mode.
    }
    // Any other encryption configurations.
  ],
  "muxStreams": [
    {
      // Unique identifier for the muxStream.
      "key": string,
      // Identifier of the encryption configuration for the muxStream.
      "encryptionId": string
      // … other muxStream settings.
    }
    // Other muxStreams.
  ],

  // Other channel settings.
}

Example (ClearKey)

The following example configures AES-128 and SAMPLE-AES muxStreams in HLS manifests, and MPEG-CENC muxStreams (cenc and cbcs) in DASH manifests:

"elementaryStreams": [
  {
    "key": "es_video",
    "videoStream": {
      "h264": {
        "profile": "main",
        "heightPixels": 600,
        "widthPixels": 800,
        "bitrateBps": 1000000,
        "frameRate": 60,
      },
    },
  },
  {
    "key": "es_audio",
    "audioStream": {
      "codec": "aac",
      "channelCount": 2,
      "bitrateBps": 160000
    }
  }
],
"encryptions": [
  {
    "id": "aes-128",
    "secretManagerKeySource": {
      "secretVersion": "projects/12345/secrets/key-1/versions/1"
    },
    "drmSystems": {"clearkey": {}},
    "aes128": {}
  },
  {
    "id": "sample-aes",
    "secretManagerKeySource": {
      "secretVersion": "projects/12345/secrets/key-1/versions/1"
    },
    "drmSystems": {"clearkey": {}},
    "sampleAes": {}
  },
  {
    "id": "cenc",
    "secretManagerKeySource": {
      "secretVersion": "projects/12345/secrets/key-1/versions/1"
    },
    "drmSystems": {"clearkey": {}},
    "mpegCenc": {
      "scheme": "cenc"
    }
  },
  {
    "id": "cbcs",
    "secretManagerKeySource": {
      "secretVersion": "projects/12345/secrets/key-1/versions/1"
    },
    "drmSystems": {"clearkey": {}},
    "mpegCenc": {
      "scheme": "cbcs"
    }
  }
],
"muxStreams": [
  {
    "key": "ts_aes128",
    "container": "ts",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_video", "es_audio"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "aes-128"
  },
  {
    "key": "ts_sampleaes",
    "container": "ts",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_video", "es_audio"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "sample-aes"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_cenc_video",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_video"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "cenc"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_cenc_audio",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_audio"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "cenc"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_cbcs_video",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_video"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "cbcs"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_cbcs_audio",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_audio"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "cbcs"
  }
],
"manifests": [
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_aes128.m3u8",
    "type": "HLS",
    "muxStreams": ["ts_aes128"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_sampleaes.m3u8",
    "type": "HLS",
    "muxStreams": ["ts_sampleaes"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_cenc.mpd",
    "type": "DASH",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_cenc_video", "fmp4_cenc_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_cbcs.mpd",
    "type": "DASH",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_cbcs_video", "fmp4_cbcs_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  }
]

Example (FP/PR/Widevine)

The following example configures FairPlay/SAMPLE-AES, Widevine/MPEG-CENC (cenc and cbcs), and PlayReady/MPEG-CENC (cenc and cbcs) muxStreams. Widevine and PlayReady muxStreams are included in both HLS and DASH manifests.

"elementaryStreams": [
  {
    "key": "es_video",
    "videoStream": {
      "h264": {
        "profile": "main",
        "heightPixels": 600,
        "widthPixels": 800,
        "bitrateBps": 1000000,
        "frameRate": 60,
      },
    },
  },
  {
    "key": "es_audio",
    "audioStream": {
      "codec": "aac",
      "channelCount": 2,
      "bitrateBps": 160000
    }
  }
],
"encryptions": [
  {
    "id": "fairplay",
    "secretManagerKeySource": {
      "secretVersion": "projects/12345/secrets/key-1/versions/1"
    },
    "drmSystems": {"fairplay": {}},
    "sampleAes": {}
  },
  {
    "id": "widevine-cenc",
    "secretManagerKeySource": {
      "secretVersion": "projects/12345/secrets/key-1/versions/1"
    },
    "drmSystems": {"widevine": {}},
    "mpegCenc": {
      "scheme": "cenc"
    }
  },
  {
    "id": "widevine-cbcs",
    "secretManagerKeySource": {
      "secretVersion": "projects/12345/secrets/key-1/versions/1"
    },
    "drmSystems": {"widevine": {}},
    "mpegCenc": {
      "scheme": "cbcs"
    }
  },
  {
    "id": "playready-cenc",
    "secretManagerKeySource": {
      "secretVersion": "projects/12345/secrets/key-1/versions/1"
    },
    "drmSystems": {"playready": {}},
    "mpegCenc": {
      "scheme": "cenc"
    }
  },
  {
    "id": "playready-cbcs",
    "secretManagerKeySource": {
      "secretVersion": "projects/12345/secrets/key-1/versions/1"
    },
    "drmSystems": {"playready": {}},
    "mpegCenc": {
      "scheme": "cbcs"
    }
  }
],
"muxStreams": [
  {
    "key": "ts_fairplay",
    "container": "ts",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_video", "es_audio"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "fairplay"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_widevine_cenc_video",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_video"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "widevine-cenc"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_widevine_cenc_audio",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_audio"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "widevine-cenc"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_widevine_cbcs_video",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_video"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "widevine-cbcs"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_widevine_cbcs_audio",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_audio"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "widevine-cbcs"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_playready_cenc_video",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_video"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "playready-cenc"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_playready_cenc_audio",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_audio"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "playready-cenc"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_playready_cbcs_video",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_video"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "playready-cbcs"
  },
  {
    "key": "fmp4_playready_cbcs_audio",
    "container": "fmp4",
    "elementaryStreams": ["es_audio"],
    "segmentSettings": {"segmentDuration": "2s"},
    "encryptionId": "playready-cbcs"
  }
],
"manifests": [
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_fairplay.m3u8",
    "type": "HLS",
    "muxStreams": ["ts_fairplay"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_widevine_cenc.m3u8",
    "type": "HLS",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_widevine_cenc_video", "fmp4_widevine_cenc_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_widevine_cbcs.m3u8",
    "type": "HLS",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_widevine_cbcs_video", "fmp4_widevine_cbcs_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_widevine_cenc.mpd",
    "type": "DASH",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_widevine_cenc_video", "fmp4_widevine_cenc_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_widevine_cbcs.mpd",
    "type": "DASH",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_widevine_cbcs_video", "fmp4_widevine_cbcs_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_playready_cenc.m3u8",
    "type": "HLS",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_playready_cenc_video", "fmp4_playready_cenc_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_playready_cbcs.m3u8",
    "type": "HLS",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_playready_cbcs_video", "fmp4_playready_cbcs_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_playready_cenc.mpd",
    "type": "DASH",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_playready_cenc_video", "fmp4_playready_cenc_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  },
  {
    "fileName": "manifest_playready_cbcs.mpd",
    "type": "DASH",
    "muxStreams": ["fmp4_playready_cbcs_video", "fmp4_playready_cbcs_audio"],
    "maxSegmentCount": 10
  }
]

Once you know the JSON configuration you want to use, create a channel as normal.

Start streaming

Once the channel is created, start the channel and send the input stream.

When the channel starts, the Live Stream API fetches the encryption key identified by secretVersion from Secret Manager. If the Live Stream API is not able to fetch the key or the key is in an unrecognizable format, the channel state becomes STREAMING_ERROR. If the key is fetched successfully, the channel's state becomes AWAITING_INPUT as usual.

Once streaming begins, the Live Stream API begins encrypting output content according to the configuration provided at creation time.

Monitor the output

Encrypted output streams contain modified manifests with the information needed to decrypt the content for playback.

Manifest examples

The following manifests show the information needed to decrypt the associated content.

HLS AES-128/ClearKey

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:7
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:4
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-KEY:METHOD=AES-128,URI="https://example.com/keys/3d9dccb479c64adbb6e514790caa7822.bin",IV=0x8d80aa741e7b32c2f1967daca83e81f3
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:22.870Z
#EXTINF:2.576778
segment-0000000000.ts
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:25.447Z
#EXTINF:2.000000
segment-0000000001.ts
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:27.447Z
#EXTINF:2.000000
segment-0000000002.ts
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:29.447Z
#EXTINF:2.000000
segment-0000000003.ts

HLS SAMPLE-AES/FairPlay

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:7
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:4
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-KEY:METHOD=SAMPLE-AES,URI="skd://d569cb35bd0548c7a99d92feb381df13",KEYFORMAT="com.apple.streamingkeydelivery",KEYFORMATVERSIONS="1"
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:22.870Z
#EXTINF:2.576778
segment-0000000000.ts
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:25.447Z
#EXTINF:2.000000
segment-0000000001.ts
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:27.447Z
#EXTINF:2.000000
segment-0000000002.ts
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:29.447Z
#EXTINF:2.000000
segment-0000000003.ts

HLS MPEG-CENC/Widevine

#EXTM3U
#EXT-X-VERSION:7
#EXT-X-TARGETDURATION:4
#EXT-X-MEDIA-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-DISCONTINUITY-SEQUENCE:0
#EXT-X-KEY:METHOD=SAMPLE-AES-CTR,URI="data:text/plain;base64,AAAAOHBzc2gAAAAA7e+LqXnWSs6jyCfSEAB3Gcrj/8kFtioyiVbJMh9I49yVmwY=",KEYFORMAT="urn:uuid:edef8ba9-79d6-4ace-a3c8-27dcd51d21ed",KEYFORMATVERSIONS="1"
#EXT-X-MAP:URI="segment-initialization_segment_0000000000.m4s"
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:22.870Z
#EXTINF:2.576778
segment-0000000000.m4s
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:25.447Z
#EXTINF:2.000000
segment-0000000001.m4s
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:27.447Z
#EXTINF:2.000000
segment-0000000002.m4s
#EXT-X-PROGRAM-DATE-TIME:2022-10-12T20:08:29.447Z
#EXTINF:2.000000
segment-0000000003.m4s

DASH MPEG-CENC/Widevine

<AdaptationSet segmentAlignment="true" maxWidth="800" maxHeight="600">
  <Representation mimeType="video/mp4" id="fmp4_widevine_cenc_video" codecs="avc1.4d001f">
    <ContentProtection value="cenc" schemeIdUri="urn:mpeg:dash:mp4protection:2011" cenc:default_KID="44ec248b-048c-43a6-a6ee-58a752c6f9f8"/>
    <ContentProtection schemeIdUri="urn:uuid:edef8ba9-79d6-4ace-a3c8-27dcd51d21ed" value="Widevine">
      <cenc:pssh>AAAAOHBzc2gAAAAA7e+LqXnWSs6jCfc1R0h7QAAABgSEAB3Gcrj/8kFklokiVbJMh9VmwY=</cenc:pssh>
    </ContentProtection>
  </Representation>
</AdaptationSet>
<AdaptationSet segmentAlignment="true" mimeType="audio/mp4" id="1" label="fmp4_widevine_cenc_audio">
  <Representation id="fmp4_widevine_cenc_audio" codecs="mp4a.40.2">
    <ContentProtection value="cenc" schemeIdUri="urn:mpeg:dash:mp4protection:2011" cenc:default_KID="44ec248b-048c-43a6-a6ee-58a752c6f9f8"/>
    <ContentProtection schemeIdUri="urn:uuid:edef8ba9-79d6-4ace-a3c8-27dcd51d21ed" value="Widevine">
      <cenc:pssh>AAAAOHBzc2gAAAAA7e+LqXnWSs6jCfc1R0h7QAAABgSEAB3Gcrj/8kFklokiVbJMh9VmwY=</cenc:pssh>
    </ContentProtection>
  </Representation>
</AdaptationSet>

Recommended players

Players based on HLS.js are recommended for HLS/TS decryption. Players based on Shaka Player are recommended for DASH/fMP4 decryption.

The PlayReady 'cenc' scheme is supported on physical machines running Windows 10 with the Microsoft Edge browser, Xbox One (version 1703 or lower), and some non-Windows devices (for example, smart TVs). The PlayReady 'cbcs' scheme is only supported on Xbox One version 1709 or higher. See PlayReady Content Encryption Modes for more information.

Update the encryption key

To switch a channel to a new encryption key, do the following:

Stop the channel.
Update the encryption settings on the channel.
Start the channel.