Reduced hierarchy key management system and method

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a computing device, a plurality of content keys and a plurality of indexes corresponding to the plurality of content keys, each index of the plurality of indexes corresponding with a different content key of the plurality of content keys, wherein a first index of the plurality of indexes corresponds to a first content key of the plurality of content keys;
• subsequent to the receiving, receiving, by the computing device, a first encrypted media stream comprising an identifier associated with the first index;
• selecting, by the computing device, the first content key corresponding to the first index;
• generating, by the computing device, a decryption key based on the first content key for decrypting the first encrypted media stream;
• receiving an update to the plurality of indexes corresponding to the plurality of content keys, wherein the update does not include any of the plurality of content keys, and wherein the update updates the first index from corresponding to the first content key to corresponding to a second content key, of the plurality of content keys, different from the first content key;
• and
• after receiving a second encrypted media stream comprising the identifier associated with the first index, selecting the second content key corresponding to the first index and generating a different decryption key based on the second content key for decrypting the second encrypted media stream.

An apparatus comprising:

• one or more processors, and
• a memory storing executable instructions configured to, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the apparatus to:
• prior to receiving a first encrypted media stream and a second encrypted media stream, receive a plurality of indexes and a plurality of content keys corresponding to the plurality of indexes, wherein a first index, of the plurality of indexes, corresponds to a first content key and a second content key, of the plurality of content keys, and a second index, of the plurality of indexes, corresponds to a combination of a second content key and a third content key of the plurality of content keys,
• receive the first encrypted media stream and the second encrypted media stream, the first encrypted media stream comprising a first identifier that corresponds to the first index, and the second encrypted media stream comprising a second identifier that corresponds to the second index,
• generate a first decryption key using the first content key that corresponds to the first index, and a second decryption key using the combination of the second content key and the third content key that corresponds to the second index,
• decrypt at least a portion of the first encrypted media stream using the first decryption key, and at least a portion of the second encrypted media stream using the second decryption key, and
• receive an entitlement management message that comprises an update to the plurality of indexes corresponding to the plurality of content keys, wherein the update does not include any of the plurality of content keys, wherein the update updates the first index from corresponding to the first content key to corresponding to a fourth content key, of the plurality of content keys, different from the first content key, and wherein the apparatus is associated with a user.