ZeroPaid has a new report on an alleged attempt by MediaDefender Inc, self-touted as the “leading provider of anti-piracy solutions in the emerging Internet-Piracy-Prevention industry,” of launching a new Web site that attempts to what amounts to an entrapment operation.
After being Slashdotted, the site in question, “MiiVi,” has apparently been taken down. A simple Google search reveals that it has indeed been up at one point recently.
The allegation was made against the site solely based on the DNS records of “miivi.com,” which shows that it was registered by MediaDefender, a known MPAA-sponsored organization, according to ZeroPad. This begs the very real question of what eventually happens to the collected data of the poor souls who are foolish enough to have registered their particulars.
Let’s do a poll on this first.
Moving on, the disconcerting fact is that the site apparently also offered a software download. Here’s an excerpt from ZeroPaid:
“It offers WHOLE DOWNLOADS of movies as well as the ability to download and install a ‘miraculous’ new program that offers ‘fast and easy downloading all in one great site’.”
ZeroPaid claims that the download in question “scans if the user has downloaded copyrighted files,” though it did not furnish any proof to back it up.
As an IT professional, I cannot help but note the increasing use of custom — and questionable — applications that are offered as downloads. I mentioned previously in The Death Of The Anti-Virus Software that existing signature-based antivirus techniques are quickly being rendered obsolete. In fact, even the major AV vendors agree: Major AV Vendors: Pure Signature-Based Approach Insufficient.
Where do you see the industry heading in this regard? Share your experiences or tips in the discussion.
