TV Box: know your device will be blocked – 02/11/2023 – Tech

Not every TV Box is illegal and will be included in the measures announced by Anatel on Thursday (9), which will block the signal of clandestine devices.

TV Boxes transform older televisions into Smart TVs, with internet connection, and allow access to channels and applications. Some of these devices, however, capture signals from cable television stations, which is a crime under Brazilian law.

Anatel (Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações) says it has collected pirated devices, also called “gatonet”, in retailers and marketplaces for almost two years, to analyze risks to users and telecommunication networks. The results of the study were presented in a live broadcast.

Thus, the agency was able to identify which devices receive a stray signal and even noticed the presence of a malicious program (malware) that allows criminals to take control of irregular TV Boxes and divert data through internet networks.

How to know if your TV Box is clandestine

Many of these devices access the television signal via the IPTV standard (Internet Protocol Television). Some operators such as Claro and Vivo offer this service to their subscribers.

Irregular TV Boxes, however, manage to decode paid channels without transferring the due amounts to companies that offer closed television service.

If you have access to exclusive cable TV channels or movies and series originally available on streaming platforms without paying a periodic fee, your device is illegal.

Some “gatonets” charge a monthly or annual fee, but those who receive this money are the criminals who misappropriate content. This practice violates the copyright law (9610/1998) and the General Telecommunications Law (9472/1997) and is therefore considered a crime in the country.

Devices regulated by Anatel have a certification number, which must be displayed on the packaging. Consumers can search for this registration on the regulatory agency’s website and see if the equipment is approved.

Here are examples of regulated devices: Apple TV, Google Chromecast, Xiaomi Mi TV Stick, Amazon Fire TV and Roku Express.

Can Anatel sanction users of pirated TV Box?

According to an estimate by the Brazilian Association of Subscription Television (ABTA), Brazil has between 5 million and 7 million people with access to closed channels via “gatonet”.

Anatel stated, at the press conference, that the focus of the signal blocking operation is not to punish the consumer, but to reach the illegal distributor.

But, if someone goes to the agency to complain that the signal on their pirated device has been blocked, they may end up having to answer for the infractions – there are at least five, according to the agency.

Anatel entered into a partnership with companies that sell subscription packages to create a channel for reporting signal loss. The agency’s auditors will then check the consistency of the accusation and block the IP number —a sort of virtual address— responsible for the pirated transmission.

“The challenge is that criminals are always changing this address, and we have to get this number in real time. It’s almost a cat and mouse game,” said Anatel inspection superintendent Hermano Tercius.

Whoever has the legitimate SmartTV converter and, even so, is blocked, must seek the operator, who will mediate the contact with the regulatory agency. “We will guarantee the unlocking as soon as possible”, says Tercius.

Cyber ​​security risk

Another justification given by the agency for taking down the signal of pirated devices is the malicious programs found by inspectors during the research on TV Boxes. Whoever installed the malware has access to everything that is done on the network to which the “gatonet” is connected.

“When you are putting a device like this in your house, you are putting an enemy inside your house. If you go into internet banking on your cell phone, this criminal could be looking. He will know what happens in your son’s video game” , said Anatel president Carlos Baigorri.

The approximately 6 million “gatonets” can also be used in offensive attacks against telecommunication networks via so-called DDO attacks (distributed denial of service, in Portuguese), in which cybercriminals mobilize armies of bots to bring down servers. TV Box can be one of the robots recruited when it is infected with malware.

Therefore, Anatel claims that pirated TV Boxes represent a risk to collective cybersecurity. This argument is used to overthrow clandestine signals.

The current operation targets only illegal devices and leaves out applications for accessing television via the internet.