A method and systems are provided for creating an authentication of secure communications between a software video driver and a video display. A video driver transmitting digital video data deemed high-bandwidth digital content, to a display, can perform authentication to determine if a secure connection has been established with a display. The video driver and the display both generate secret keys which are compared to ensure that the display used is authorized for secure communications. The video driver, communicating with a hardware video controller over a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus, can establish an encrypted link with the video driver. The video driver occasionally monitors the display to determine if a secure communications link is upheld. If the connection is determined at any time to be insecure, the video controller can alert the video driver, so that transmission of the video data can be terminated.