Common attack modes used in the piracy ecosystem

The least technically sophisticated approach to getting around the robust protection provided by DRM systems is also the one that’s most commonly employed by amateur thieves: using high-quality 4K TV displays and video cameras to record programming directly from their screen and retransmit it. 

These illegal services organize the content into multi-language presentations, allowing them to reach an international audience. They add features and use interactive communications between clients and services to gain insights into device usage, and the popularity of their content offerings. Moreover, they often benefit from ad revenue generated by online ad networks that believe they are legitimate OTT service providers. 

A simple Google search turns up articles with headlines like “Which is the best website for watching free live sports online?” and “How to Install TV Portal Kodi.” A study of online sports piracy ecosystem in Spain found that 78% of access to pirated content occurs through the use of search engines.