1.1 What is Oracle IRM?

Oracle Information Rights Management (Oracle IRM, formerly SealedMedia E-DRM) is a type of information security solution that uses encryption to "seal" documents and emails, and then carefully controls access to the decryption keys so that only authorized end users can open and use sealed documents and emails, regardless of where they are stored and used.

Oracle IRM enables authorized users to create and use sealed documents and emails transparently within existing desktop applications, such as Microsoft Office, Adobe Reader and Lotus Notes, without requiring any understanding or management of keys or passwords. A one-time install of the Oracle IRM client software, Oracle IRM Desktop, supports current and previous versions of all standard desktop document and email applications, and continues to protect and track sealed documents and emails while they are in use within those applications.

Oracle IRM continues to protect and track sealed documents and emails when they are stored and used on desktops beyond the firewall of the originating organization. Recipients of sealed documents and emails may be authorized by the originating organization to use them in one or more different ways, including reading them, replying to them, editing them, searching them, and copying them.

When the originator of a sealed document or email decides that the content is no longer valid, or when the originator decides to change who can use a sealed document or email, the rights can be revoked and the recipient may find that they can no longer read it.