ENFORCEMENT

Joint Strategic Plan on Intellectual Property Enforcement
One recent study, for example, probed a sample of
800 websites dedicated to distributing pirated movies
and television shows, and found that one out of every
three content theft sites contained malware, including
delivering adware 31 and botnets. 32 The study found that
consumers are 28 times more likely to get malware from
a content theft site than from similarly visited licensed
content providers. 33 As such, it has been suggested
the unscrupulous website operators exploit IP to “the
detriment of society, businesses and the ordinary user of
the Internet.” 34
Canada, Hong Kong, Romania, and the United Arab
Emirates. 35 Host locations changed every few minutes
by use of an underground service that rotated the
websites on computers that were part of a botnet
of 450,000 “trojaned” systems, making a single
website appear to be hosted in the United States at
one moment, only to then appear to be hosted in
Singapore at the next moment. 36
FIG. 7: Example of Global Software Piracy Operation.
FIG. 6: How Malvertising Works.
Global organized
crime ring registered
domain names
in 22 countries
Underground service
changed host location
every few minutes by
rotating websites on
infected computers that
were part of a botnet of
450,000 “trojaned”
systems
Example of tactics
that work together
to perpetrate fraud
and exploitation of
copyrighted
works globally
These websites
were hosted in
18 countries
around the world
including Canada,
Hong Kong, Romania
United Arab
Emirates
These are
connected with the
operation of approx.
10,000 websites
SECTION 1
1. Attacker registers as an Advertiser with
Self-Service Ad Platform
2. User visits website
3. User Targeting Data sent to Ad Platform
4. Impression sold to Attacker
5. Malvertisement served to Ad Platform
6. Malvertisement served to Website
7. Exploit kit loads
8. Vulnerable browser plugins discovered
9. Malware installed on User’s device
Source: Digital Citizens Alliance (December 2015)
As an example of how these tactics all come
together to perpetrate fraud and permit an actor to
engage in commercial-scale criminal exploitation of
copyrighted works (FIG. 7): One global organized
crime ring registered domain names in 22 different
countries in connection with the operation of
approximately 10,000 websites, which in turn were
hosted in 18 countries around the world, including
Similarly, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative
(USTR) has noted that Internet-enabled piracy within many
countries includes: “pirate servers…that allow users to
play unauthorized versions of cloud-based entertainment
software; online distribution of software and devices that
allow for the circumvention of technological protection
measures (TPMs), including ‘game copiers’ and mod
chips that allow users to play pirated games on physical
consoles; and set-top or media boxes preloaded with
large volumes of pirated content or configured with apps
to facilitate access to infringing websites. Piracy facilitated
by Internet-based services presents unique enforcement
challenges for right holders.” 37
“Game copiers,” for example, are unlawful devices
openly and knowingly advertised for the purpose of
allowing users to make and play unauthorized copies
of video games (FIG. 8), depicting popular video game
character, on right).
The circumvention devices may be transported
to markets around the world through elaborate and
deceptive schemes, including by shipping “game
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