Pirated movies website is hacked; attackers threaten to expose users
According to web application security specialists, Helix, a pirate IPTV streaming service, is coming through a security incident recovery process as it is facing an imminent data breach after receiving the message from a hacker threatening to reveal the information from all users of the platform in case they do not receive a ransom.
The Helix homepage displays a message posted by
so-called hackers, mentioning that administrators rejected their initial offer,
so that soon the data of all consumers of pirated content registered on Helix
will be exposed. So far there is no indication on those responsible for the attack.
This incident has already begun to raise concerns among subscribers to this platform, as hackers have threatened to reveal their IP addresses, exposing them to many other cyberattack variants. As if that weren’t enough, web application security specialists mention that multiple users have Premium Helix subscriptions, so their payment cards could also be in the hands of hackers.
Web application security specialists at the
International Institute of Cyber Security (IICS) anticipate that such incidents
could increase in the future because they are pirated services, neither
security companies nor authorities can do a lot to help the victims. In the
case of Helix everything points to a ransomware attack, so the only possible solution for now is for the platform
administrators to pay the ransom demanded by the attackers.
A countdown on Helix’s website mentions that
the information will be exposed at 23:00, although it does not add details
about a specific time zone. Many consider this to be just an attempt to ruin
Helix’s reputation, although right now there is no real competition in the
pirate hosting kingpin, so Helix is expected to suffer no further damage if
this may be just a discouraging campaign.
Helix’s administrators have not yet spoken
about it, although it could be a matter of hours to know whether this is just
blackmail or an actual attempt to expose confidential information.
He is a well-known expert in mobile security and malware analysis. He studied Computer Science at NYU and started working as a cyber security analyst in 2003. He is actively working as an anti-malware expert. He also worked for security companies like Kaspersky Lab. His everyday job includes researching about new malware and cyber security incidents. Also he has deep level of knowledge in mobile security and mobile vulnerabilities.
Gloss