RIST main profile now supporting IP Multicast authentication

Industry body the Reliable Internet Stream Transport (RIST) Forum has announced that its RIST main profile specification, known as VSF TR-06-2, now supports IP Multicast authentication.

The upcoming TR‑06‑2:2022 version of the spec includes a mechanism to authenticate a multitude of receivers in the shape of the EAP SHA256-SRP6a authentication protocol.
The RIST Forum exists to promote the adoption of the RIST protocol, which it says is designed for delivering broadcast-grade content over the public internet, without losing quality.

In relation to video, IP Multicast is a technique to deliver one-to-many transmission over the internet, potentially enabling a more efficient way to deliver content to large numbers of receivers, with a particular appeal distribution for mass-audience live programming. However, its use in video has been relatively limited to date, with the majority of streaming video services delivered via unicast.
Using the EAP SHA256-SRP6a authentication protocol, RIST can be used to securely create a multicast content distribution system without customers being locked into a proprietary vendor system, according to the organisation.

This new feature enables bidirectional authentication and is based on the use of username/password, removing the need to generate and maintain complex SSL certificates, the RIST Forum said.  RIST also includes mechanisms to de-authorise receivers on-the-fly without disturbing the content, it said.

The EAP SHA256-SRP6a Authentication Protocol will be published as part of the 2022 update for both RIST Main Profile (VSF TR‑06‑2) and RIST Advanced Profile (VSF TR‑06‑3).
Ciro Noronha, President, the RIST Forum, said: “Since its development, RIST has natively supported IP Multicast, enabling one-to-many transmission with reliable, low-latency delivery. With security a growing concern for broadcasters, authentication becomes even more crucial when transmitting content over a combination of network lines. The RIST Multicast Authentication system offers a free alternative to costly proprietary DRM systems and ensures that only authorised receivers are able to decrypt the multicast content.”