The UK anti-piracy organization FACT announced a new report by OpenText Security Solutions’ Webroot, which revealed the extent to which consumers are being exposed to fraud, dangerous scams and explicit content on illegal sports streaming sites.
All of the fifty sites analyzed contained malicious content, with more than 40% of them lacking the necessary security certificate. In addition to being exposed to fraud and dangerous scams, visitors to these sites saw explicit and extreme pop-ups.
With big sporting events and new TV series just ahead, viewers may be tempted to access illegal streaming sites.
But by doing so, they are also susceptible to theft of their personal information simply by signing up. “One of the most dangerous threats widely found on illegal streaming sites was banking trojans. By simply clicking on an ‘unmute’ button on one site, users unwittingly download a piece of software that hackers use to access banking details and personal information. Users didn’t even have to enter any information – one click was enough to do the damage,” said the study.
The study notes that it has become increasingly difficult to find acceptable content, with users being “bounced around numerous dodgy sites, without ever actually finding what they are looking for.”
Read the summary by FACT
Read further details by Webroot, an Opentext Security Solutions company
Download the report, “The hidden threats lurking on illegal streaming sites”
Why it matters
“It’s clear from this report that users of illicit streaming services are putting themselves and their families at risk of serious harm. Viewing content illegally puts users’ data at significant risk from hackers and organised criminals and, worryingly, exposes children to explicit content,” said Kieron Sharp, CEO of FACT. “To protect our children as well as our data, audiences must watch content only through the legal providers.”
