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What is IRM or Information Rights Management

added: 02.22.2024

Have you heard the term IRM or Information Rights Management, but wondered what it means? This article provides a brief introduction to this key technology used in HOGO.

Information Rights Management (IRM) also known as Digital Rights Management (DRM) is a combination of technologies that control and manage access to sensitive information or digital content. The reasons for using IRM are to safeguard sensitive data, prevent unauthorized access, and control how authorized users can use that information. Compared to password protection of files, IRM is more secure in that it uses user authentication and license/key management to protect against unauthorized access. IRM is particularly important for organizations dealing with confidential or proprietary data such as finance, government, healthcare, and education where protecting information from unauthorized access and distribution is critical. The term DRM is more commonly associated with online publishing use cases such as e-books and video streaming.

The key components of IRM or DRM are:

• Encryption - files protected by IRM are encrypted using encryption keys so that they can only be opened by authorized users who have the necessary keys.
• Authentication - users must authenticate themselves as having authorization to open a particular file so that they can decrypt and view it. In HOGO's case, we use 2-factor authentication using e-mail and a onetime PIN.

Most IRM and DRM solutions require complex and expensive software to provide this capability. At HOGO, we have simplified the process and technology so that the requirements for special software are minimal to none, making it easy for both the owner and viewer of protected content.

The article here also provides additional information about IRM and additional features and implementations that are available.

IRM is the best way to protect sensitive, confidential, or high-value documents and files. When you use HOGO, you are using some of the latest IRM technology on the market.