Why Can't We Prevent Leaks of Lecture Videos from Education Apps?
A Real-World Case Study (LIAPP·LISS Implementation Review)
"Lecture videos are floating around on Telegram."
For anyone running an online education service, this single sentence alone will send a shiver down your spine.
Indeed, Company A, which operated an online education platform, received a report one day to its customer service center.
"Your lecture videos are being shared in Telegram chatrooms."
"PDF textbooks are also being circulated."
At first, they suspected internal employee error or data management issues. However, no matter how much they searched internal logs, they found no abnormalities.
In the end, the problem wasn't "external," but "regular students' smartphones."
Leaks of Educational App Content Are Easier Than You Think
Many education app operators think,
"Our app requires logins, payments, and access is only possible through the app. How could it possibly be leaked?"
But the reality is different.
Leaks of content from education apps occur in much simpler ways than you might imagine.
The most commonly used methods:
• ✔ Using screen capture/screen recording apps
• ✔ Recording screen mirroring via remote control apps
• ✔ Removing DRM from tampered apps
• ✔ Directly extracting video files from an emulator
Educational apps, especially Android-based apps, are often operated with little security due to the misconception that "just installing the app means it's safe."
Company A also implemented a standard player + login, resulting in lecture videos being recorded as is.
Why Did Existing Response Methods Not Work?
After the issue arose, Company A quickly took action.
The methods Company A initially attempted included:
• ✔ Inserting a watermark into the video player
• ✔ Applying web-based DRM
• ✔ Strengthening the warning text in the Terms of Use regarding illegal data leakage.
However, the results were largely unchanged.
The reason was simple:
• Watermarking does not prevent leakage.
• Web DRM has limitations in the mobile app environment.
• Terms of Use cannot be technically blocked.
In other words, they simply said, "Do not record," but failed to create an environment that prevents recording.
A Fundamental Solution: Simultaneous Application of LIAPP and LISS
Company A ultimately changed course.
"Instead of responding after a leak, let's create a structure that prevents leaks from the start." That choice was the simultaneous application of LIAPP and LISS.
LIAPP – Protecting the App Itself
LIAPP is a service that protects the integrity of the app and its execution environment.
LIAPP Features Applied to Company A
• ✔ Integrity check upon app launch
• ✔ Blocking rooting and emulator environments
• ✔ Detection of hacking tools used for video extraction
• ✔ Overlay blocking
From now on, apps modified for illegal purposes will no longer run.
The method of extracting video files from emulators was also immediately blocked during app launch.
LISS – Protecting the Screen Itself
But Company A didn't stop there.
"What if I record the screen in a normal app environment?"
LISS was the solution to this problem. Changes Made Possible with LISS Implementation
• ✔ Real-time screen capture blocking
• ✔ Screen recording app detection and blocking
• ✔ Remote control/mirroring app detection
In other words, even if the app is functioning properly, "screen recording itself is now impossible."
From the student's perspective, this may only feel like "captures are suddenly unavailable," but from the operator's perspective, a key barrier to content protection has been created.
Results: Visible Changes
After implementing security, Company A's situation clearly changed.
• ✔ Virtually zero cases of illegal video leaks
• ✔ Over 70% reduction in customer inquiries regarding copyright
• ✔ Alleviation of instructor anxiety and contract retention
• ✔ Preservation and resale of content value
An operations team member stated,
"For the first time, I realized that protecting lectures is more important than creating them."
Protecting Educational Content is No Longer an Optional Thing
Security is no longer an afterthought in educational apps. • Content equals revenue.
• Content leaks equal a loss of trust.
• Loss of trust leads to service collapse.
The moment content is sold, security becomes a fundamental requirement, not a feature.
Three Security Pillars for Protecting Education Services
To operate an education app safely, a single security system is needed, not a single feature.
• LIAPP: App Integrity, Anti-Forgery and Repackaging, Overlay Blocking
• LISS: Screen Capture and Recording, Remote Support Detection
• LIKEY: Input Information Protection (Account, Payment, Authentication)
These three are not separate solutions, but a single line of defense that protects the content, revenue, and trust of an education service.
While creating a course takes months, a leak only takes minutes.
If you're operating an education app, now is the time to re-evaluate your security.
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