Digital Citizens Alliance
Washington, DC, April 25, 2019
“Hackers are tapping into a growing consumer trend, the use of illicit devices and apps to access pirated movies, TV shows and live programming, to spread malware and exploit unsuspecting users, a Digital Citizens Alliance investigation has found.
“Over the course of its nine-month probe, Digital Citizens observed malware from the piracy apps stealing user names and passwords, probing user networks and surreptitiously uploading data without consent. Investigators also found an illegal scheme to monetize stolen Netflix accounts and ads for premium brands.”
Read the DCA press release with links to the DCA report titled “Fishing in the Piracy Stream: How the Dark Web of Entertainment is Exposing Consumers to Harm”
Why it matters: Consumers think they’re getting a great deal when they buy a box at retail which opens access to thousands of channels over broadband. But the time and expense attached to paying ransomware fees and cleaning malware from computers and phones more than outweigh the initial price.
