> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.gcore.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Generate secure tokens for HLS/DASH

HLS/DASH secure tokens are generated server-side by computing an MD5 hash of the video identifier, secret key, and expiration timestamp. The backend embeds the token and expiration in the URL path before delivering the signed URL to the client. A CDN resource with [secure token protection enabled](/streaming/interaction-with-cdn/video-secure-token) is required.

## String to sign

`video_id` is the video slug for VOD or the stream ID for live streams.

Without IP binding:

```text theme={null}
${account_id}_${video_id}_${secret}_${expires}_
```

With IP binding (ties the token to the client's IP address; requests from a different IP return 403 Forbidden):

```text theme={null}
${account_id}_${video_id}_${secret}_${expires}_${user_ip}
```

| Parameter       | Required        | Description                                                  |
| --------------- | --------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| **account\_id** | yes             | Account ID                                                   |
| **video\_id**   | yes             | Video slug (VOD) or stream ID (live)                         |
| **secret**      | yes             | Key from CDN resource **Access** > **Secure token** settings |
| **expires**     | yes             | Expiration time as a Unix timestamp (UTC)                    |
| **user\_ip**    | IP binding only | Client IP address                                            |

The MD5 digest is encoded using unpadded Base64 URL encoding (Base64URL), where `+` and `/` are represented as `-` and `_`, and trailing `=` padding is omitted.

## Code examples

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Python">
    ```python theme={null}
    import base64
    from hashlib import md5
    from time import time

    def gethash(account_id, video_id, secret, expires):
        hash_body = "%s_%s_%s_%s_" % (account_id, video_id, secret, expires)
        hash_md5 = base64.b64encode(
            md5(hash_body.encode()).digest()
        ).decode().replace("+", "-").replace("/", "_").replace("=", "")
        return hash_md5

    account_id = "2675"      # enter your account ID here
    secret = ""              # enter your key from the CDN resource (Access > Secure token)

    # VOD
    video_slug = "3dk4NsRt6vWsffEr"     # enter your video slug here
    expires = int(time()) + 24 * 60 * 60    # expiration = now + 24 hours

    token = gethash(account_id, video_slug, secret, expires)
    print(f"https://demo-protected.gvideo.io/videos/{account_id}_{video_slug}/{token}/{expires}/master.m3u8")

    # LIVE
    stream_id = "201693"                    # enter your stream ID here
    expires = int(time()) + 24 * 60 * 60

    token = gethash(account_id, stream_id, secret, expires)
    print(f"https://demo-protected.gvideo.io/cmaf/{account_id}_{stream_id}/{token}/{expires}/master.m3u8")
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Go">
    ```go theme={null}
    package main

    import (
        "crypto/md5"
        "encoding/base64"
        "fmt"
        "time"
    )

    func gethash(clientId string, videoId string, secret string, expires int64) string {
        hashBody := fmt.Sprintf("%s_%s_%s_%d_", clientId, videoId, secret, expires)
        md5sum := md5.Sum([]byte(hashBody))
        hashMd5 := base64.RawURLEncoding.EncodeToString(md5sum[:])
        return hashMd5
    }

    func main() {
        clientId := "2675"
        secret := ""       // enter your key from the CDN resource (Access > Secure token)

        // VOD
        videoSlug := "3dk4NsRt6vWsffEr"         // enter your video slug here
        expires := time.Now().Unix() + 24*60*60 // expiration = now + 24 hours

        token := gethash(clientId, videoSlug, secret, expires)
        fmt.Printf("https://demo-protected.gvideo.io/videos/%s_%s/%s/%d/master.m3u8\n", clientId, videoSlug, token, expires)

        // LIVE
        streamId := "201693"                    // enter your stream ID here
        expires = time.Now().Unix() + 24*60*60

        token = gethash(clientId, streamId, secret, expires)
        fmt.Printf("https://demo-protected.gvideo.io/cmaf/%s_%s/%s/%d/master.m3u8\n", clientId, streamId, token, expires)
    }
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>