A study from the Coalition Against Piracy (CAP) has found that consumers engaging in the use of pirate streaming services are exposing themselves to various elements of cybercrime, including areas such as cybersecurity, privacy, and financial risks.
The study, titled Consumer Harms And Fraud Pathways In Asia-Pacific’s Illicit Streaming Economy, analysed the major consumer risks across the cost common forms of digital piracy in the Asia-Pacific region.
This covers illicit streaming devices (ISDs), IPTV subscription services, playlist sellers, account sharing schemes and third-party streaming applications, with routine exposure to scams, malware, phishing attacks, identity theft, and compromised accounts.
According to the report, almost half of the tested illicit streaming applications contained malware which could collect user personal data, compromise the devices they are installed on, and utilise the device as a part of a cybercrime botnet.
It further states that those purchasing pirated services through various social media platforms and marketplaces may be scammed or face fraud, where they do not receive the promised service from sellers upon payment.
Other concerns include exposure to stolen or compromised accounts, account credential takeover, and being redirected to malicious advertising, malware downloads, and fraudulent websites by pirate streaming platforms.
Author of the study, cybersecurity researcher Prof Paul Watters said in a press release that many consumers believe they are simply finding a cheaper way to watch television, movies and sports content.
"In reality, they are often stepping into an ecosystem that exposes them to malware, identity theft, fraud and broader cybercrime. The risks are substantial and, in many cases, invisible to users until after the damage has been done," he added.
CAP also advocates that consumers be aware of these risks, and call for stakeholders, such as e-commerce platforms, payment processors, banks, social media companies, and infrastructure providers, take stronger action against piracy merchants, and enhance platform moderation.
The Coalition adds that the overlap between piracy and cybercrime further requires tighter collaboration between industry, governments, and cybersecurity stakeholders in order to address.
Matthew Cheetham, CAP general manager, stressed that there needs to be a change in how digital piracy is viewed, with a shift to it being a cybersecurity issue that consumers must be protection from rather than an intellectual property matter.
"For years, piracy has been framed primarily as a content theft problem. This research shows that it is increasingly a consumer harm problem.
"The same criminal networks facilitating piracy are often creating opportunities for fraud, phishing, malware distribution and identity theft.
"The message to consumers is straightforward: if a streaming service looks too good to be true, it probably is. The financial savings offered by piracy services can come at a far greater cost in terms of privacy, security and personal risk," he said.
