ONE IN FIVE ILLEGAL STREAMERS HIT BY MALWARE, RESEARCH FINDS

Nearly one in five people who illegally stream television, films or live sport have suffered a malware infection in the past year, according to new research published by the BeStreamWise anti-piracy campaign.

BeStreamWise is a cross-industry initiative backed by BBC, ITV, Sky, the Premier League and enforcement partners including the IPO and Crimestoppers.

The survey found 18% of illegal streamers reported malware infections on their devices over the previous 12 months, adding to growing evidence of the cybersecurity risks associated with piracy. Previous BeStreamWise research found that 41% of illegal streamers had their bank details compromised, with victims losing an average of £1,680.

The latest findings also highlight potential risks for employers. More than two-thirds (68%) of respondents who admitted accessing pirated content said they had done so using a work-issued smartphone, while 58% had streamed illegally on a work laptop, potentially exposing corporate systems to malware and data theft.

To coincide with the research, BeStreamWise has opened a one-day “device amnesty” pop-up in London’s Soho, where consumers can have their devices checked for malicious software and receive cybersecurity advice from independent experts.

James Bores, an independent cybersecurity expert, warned that pirate streaming sites pose far greater risks than legitimate services.

“Illegal streaming sites and apps sit outside the security checks that legitimate platforms go through. This means the risk of running into malware, or being scammed into handing over information or money, is much higher,”

he said.

“The fact that one in five illegal streamers have had a malware infection in the past year shows that these aren’t rare. Once malware is on a device, it’s no longer yours: it’s under the control of the criminals behind it. That means everything you use the device for – every password you enter, every message you send and all your private information – is potentially visible to them.”

The campaign also published anonymised case studies illustrating the financial impact of illegal streaming. One user lost more than £2,000 after entering PayPal details to upgrade an illicit sports streaming service, while another lost £80 and had a social media account compromised after attempting to watch a newly released film on a pirate website.

Source: broadbandtvnews.com