‘DODGY’ Amazon Fire Sticks that have been modified to access premium channels for free have been quietly flooding homes across the UK.
You’ve almost certainly heard of them – and may even have one yourself.
They grant users access to content from Sky and Premier League for a one-off or sometimes annual fee.
Authorities, from the police and anti-piracy organisations to the broadcasters themselves, have been trying to stamp out the market with fines and home raids.
In the latest countermove, a supplier was sentenced to two years in prison last week after selling an illegally modified Fire Stick to an undercover investigator.
But the risks of these jailbroken devices extend beyond fines and police visits – and can even result in bank fraud.
Both supplier and viewers face fines of up to £50,000 for using jailbroken Fire Sticks to stream Sky and Premier League content for free.
Beyond substantial fines, suppliers also face prison sentences of up to 10 years.
Viewers who tune into illegal streams may face less severe fines, however, they can still teeter into the low thousands, according to a report from Birmingham Live.
After policed foiled a dodgy Fire Stick-selling operation last January, they warned consumers that they had access to the details of those purchasing the streams.
Operators, the people who modify the Fire Sticks, may also receive written legal warnings to their home address.
In February last year, 22 legal warnings were issued to people across Ireland alone.
They were issued with “cease and desist” notices telling them to immediately stop selling devices or face tougher consequences, including criminal prosecution.
Illegal streaming can be delivered by a number of devices by one of the most common are 'jailbroken' Fire Sticks, which means a third-party media server software has been installed on to it.
The software most commonly used is called Kodi.
It can grant users unrestricted access to new features and apps the normal version of the device wouldn’t allow – but it is not legal to use in the UK.
But it becomes illegal when a box is used to stream subscription channels for free.
It is also illegal to buy or sell these modified devices which have become known as “fully-loaded” – a term that describes how the software has been altered to allow access to subscription-only channels.
“These devices are legal when used to watch legitimate, free to air, content,” the government said at the time.
“They become illegal once they are adapted to stream illicit content, for example TV programmes, films and subscription sports channels without paying the appropriate subscriptions.”
A jailbroken Fire Stick requires third-party software to be downloaded onto it.
But unauthorised, third-party apps can be infected with viruses that can steal your personal information, corrupt your device, or even hijack your streaming services.
Malicious software, known as malware, can also track your user activity, collect your data, and even spy on you through your Fire Stick’s microphone and webcam.
Over 2.7million households streaming premium content illegally had their devices infected with viruses between 2022 and 2023, according to data from Walnut Unlimited and Industry Trust.
Anti-piracy campaign BeStreamWise warned that one in 10 people believe they are not at risk when using illicit sources to watch TV, film or sports.
“In reality, illegal streams let criminals in,” the campaign wrote. “Making it easy to hack your device, steal your money, personal data and identity.”
In September, a whopping 1.3million Android TVs were hacked in a single month, prompting experts to warn Brits they are not taking the risk seriously enough.
Marijus Briedis, Chief Technology Officer at NordVPN, told The Sun at the time: “Android-powered set-top TV boxes are hugely popular at the moment, particularly as they are relatively inexpensive and can be customised to viewer’s requirements.
“Much to the anger of streaming companies, they are often corrupted to become ‘dodgy boxes’ that allow users to access multiple services for free.
“Little do Brits know the security implications of having one of these, let alone the legal issues that could follow.”
Malware attacks are not always isolated to your TV – even if that’s where the infection starts.
Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor at ESET has previously warned that crooks can use malware on Fire Sticks to access your entire home network.
“These devices have been known to be shipped with malware that is designed to steal your personal data or allow hackers to roam around your home network – or even take control of your webcams,” he told The Sun.
This is typically done through Wi-Fi, as one infected device can provide a back door route into your other electronics.
It means a hacker can spy and gain access to any information sent out from all of the devices on your hacked network – including account details and financial information.
Legitimate streaming services like Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+ and Sky all have parental control settings to restrict access to age-rated programmes.
Yet jailbroken devices often lack parental controls, meaning users run the risk of exposing children to inappropriate content.
Try some of these top tips to improve your Amazon Fire Stick instantly.
