HLS (HTTP Live Streaming)

HTTP Live Streaming is an adaptive bitrate streaming protocol (RFC 8216) that delivers media as a series of small files referenced by an M3U8 playlist. HLS is the dominant streaming format on iOS and is widely used by broadcasters, OTT services, and mobile operators. HLS over HTTPS provides confidentiality and integrity of both the playlist and the segments.

Categories: Threats and AttacksProtocols and Standards

HLS in context

Telecom threats range from opportunistic SMS phishing and SIM swap to nation-state grade location tracking and lawful-interception abuse. The common thread is that most attacks exploit the inherited trust model of legacy signaling. SS7 and Diameter were designed for a closed operator community that no longer exists.

Telecom security is written into standards from 3GPP, GSMA, ETSI, IETF and ITU-T. Understanding which body owns which specification, and how the specs interlock (for example 3GPP TS 33.501 with GSMA FS.34 for 5G SBA security), is essential for both design and audit work.

To place HLS in the wider telecom-security picture, review RTSP, 4G, HI3, WPA2, SEAL and Attack Surface Mapping.

Related terms

Related topic hubs

  • Diameter Attacks S6a IDR/PUR/CLR abuse, subscriber tracking, LTE signaling attacks.

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