Castlabs

Iconik + Castlabs Integration Overview

Proxy files move through more hands than any other file in a production pipeline. Editors, reviewers, localization vendors, remote collaborators, approval chains — shared proxies are the version of your content that travels furthest and gets seen most widely before distribution. They haven't always carried the same level of protection as final deliverables.

Castlabs builds cloud multi-DRM and forensic watermarking technology used by studios and broadcasters to protect premium content. Iconik is the creative operations platform that teams use to manage, review, and collaborate on media throughout production. Together, they bring studio-grade protection to the moment content leaves your Iconik environment.

When DRM and forensic watermarking are enabled, every share created in Iconik becomes protected. DRMtoday enforces playback through the Iconik player and makes access revocable. STARDUSTmark embeds an invisible, per-recipient watermark in each shared proxy — unique to the viewer, recoverable from a single frame, and survivable across re-encoding, compression, and off-screen capture.

Your team shares content exactly as they would today. The protection is already there.

What happens when you enable Castlabs in Iconik

DRM-enforced playback on every share

When DRM is enabled, shared video content is delivered as an encrypted stream playable only through the Iconik web player. Recipients cannot download the playable stream directly. Access can be revoked instantly by disabling the share — license acquisition fails, and playback stops.

Per-recipient forensic watermarks

STARDUSTmark generates a distinct watermarked proxy for each viewer of a shared asset. The watermark is invisible during playback but carries a unique identifier traceable to that specific recipient. If leaked content surfaces, the source can be identified — even from a single frame, even after re-encoding or compression.

Magic links ensure every playback is attributable

Forensic watermarking requires authenticated recipients. Iconik uses magic links to establish guest identity before serving a watermarked proxy, ensuring every viewing session can be tied to a known person or share context if an investigation is needed.

Revocable access, by share

DRM license enforcement is tied to the Iconik share. Disable the share, and access stops — no need to rotate credentials or contact recipients. Useful for time-sensitive reviews, vendor handoffs, or content that needs to be pulled back quickly.

Admin-controlled, surfaced in existing share workflows

Both DRM and forensic watermarking are configured by admins in Iconik's System settings under Enterprise Security. When enabled, protection indicators appear in the share creation and share management UI, so users can see at a glance that a share is protected.

Applies to shares, not originals

DRM and forensic watermarking are applied to shared proxies only. Original files stored in Iconik are not DRM-packaged or forensically watermarked — they remain under Iconik's standard access controls, ACLs, and authentication.

Who it's for

For studios, broadcasters, and rights-holders

Pre-release content, premium programming, and licensed sports footage pass through vendor networks, post-production partners, and remote review chains long before distribution. Each external share is a potential exposure point.

DRM restricts how recipients can interact with shared content — no direct stream download, access revocable at any time. STARDUSTmark means that if something leaks, the origin is traceable to a specific share and recipient. Both run within the Iconik sharing workflow your team already uses. There is no separate portal or export process for protected content.

For post-production facilities and production companies

When content moves between organizations — to subtitling vendors, color houses, sound studios, international co-producers — you lose direct visibility into how it's handled. DRM and forensic watermarking don't require those partners to change their workflows or tools. They receive a share link that plays through Iconik's player, like any other review. The difference is that each viewing is attributed, access is revocable, and leaks are traceable.

For IT and security teams

DRM and forensic watermarking are available to Pro and Enterprise customers. Both are configured natively within Iconik's admin environment alongside visual watermarking, access controls, and share management — no separate infrastructure to deploy.

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