A method for enforcing digital rights management (DRM) rules in a first device is disclosed. In the method the first device receives a message that includes a rights object (RO) having a digital signature, directly from a source device. The first device determines an identity of a signing entity from the message including the RO having the digital signature. The signing entity is an entity that digitally signed the RO. The first device processes the message including the RO having the digital signature using the identity of the signing entity and an information state to enforce DRM rules in the first device.