Major illegal streaming warning issued to households using firesticks
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Criminals are using illicit live sports streams through devices like firesticks to steal credit card information and infect user devices with malware.
According to a report by Enders Analysis, pirated video content serves as an "enticing store front" for thieves. It criticises major tech companies for failing to address the "industrial scale theft" adequately.
The report reveals that one in eight individuals between the ages of 16 and 24 now access illegal streams, making combating piracy a "formidable challenge". It accuses big tech firms of displaying "a combination of ambivalence and inertia" by neglecting to bolster security measures, thereby "simultaneously steering consumers to illegal services".
The report identifies three factors contributing to the proliferation of piracy. Firstly, "opportunistic" restreaming of live events occurs via social media.
Secondly, streaming services are used to implant malware on the viewer's device. According to the report, "Pirated services are part of sustained efforts, mostly by organised crime, to gain access to consumer data and online identity, infect devices with malware and enrich their criminal enterprises.", reports the Mirror.
Thirdly, paid-for pirate TV services, often masquerading as legitimate operators, are accessible through devices like the Fire Stick. An estimated 17 million Europeans are using pirated TV services, with annual costs ranging between £900 million and £21 billion.
A single high-profile football match's pirate stream can attract tens of thousands of viewers. The report labels Amazon's Fire TV Stick a "piracy enabler".
The device, which plugs into a TV and allows access to thousands of legitimate services, is also being used to illegally stream big events. Enders found that viewers do not need to "search the darkest corners of the web" as services are "openly marketed and promoted".
Amazon said it had made changes to Fire TV to make it harder to stream pirated content and warns customers against "sideloaded apps".
A spokesman said: "We remain vigilant in our efforts to combat piracy and protect customers from the risks associated with pirated content, which includes prohibiting apps that infringe upon the rights of third parties in our Appstore, and warning customers of the risks associated with installing or using apps from unknown sources."
Nick Herm, Sky Group COO, said: "It's a serious issue for anyone who invests in creating and delivering world-class content. We'd like to see faster, more joined-up action from major tech platforms and government."
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