Embodiments of the present invention provide a media data processing method and apparatus. The media data processing method includes: obtaining each media segment in a coding representation; and performing content protection processing on at least a part of media segments in the coding representation. In the embodiments of the present invention, a media segment in a coding representation is used as a unit of content protection, and the content protection may be performed on at least a part of media segments in the coding representation, so that protection manners of media segments in the coding representation are differentiated, so as to improve reliability and flexibility of performing the content protection on an HTTP streaming media service.