Italy seizes CINEMAGOAL servers after auth-code piracy probe
Italian authorities, supported by Eurojust, disrupted the CINEMAGOAL piracy app, which provided unauthorized access to streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ by stealing authentication codes. The operation, named "Tutto Chiaro," involved 100 searches, server seizures in France and Germany, and led to the identification of subscribers potentially facing penalties. The Guardia di Finanza estimates the illegal streaming business caused damages of approximately €300 million to legitimate platforms.
Key Takeaways
- Guardia di Finanza says CINEMAGOAL used virtual machines in Italy to capture valid authentication and decryption codes every 3 minutes.
- Investigators seized CINEMAGOAL servers in France and Germany, with Eurojust coordinating the cross-border action.
- Authorities say the operation involved 100 searches and 200 financial police officers.
- The service had more than 70 resellers selling annual subscriptions for €40 to €130.
- Guardia di Finanza estimates about €300 million in unpaid subscription revenue losses, and the first 1,000 identified subscribers received penalties of €154 to €5,000.
Why It Matters
The immediate effect is a coordinated takedown of a piracy system that did not rely on a simple pirate stream; it used valid auth codes to access legitimate services and mask users’ IP addresses. That matters for Netflix, Disney+, Spotify, Sky, and DAZN because the scheme tied unauthorized viewing to real subscriptions opened with false identification data. The cross-border seizure of servers in France and Germany, plus the 70-plus reseller network, shows the scale of the operation. Next to watch: how many additional subscribers are identified as authorities continue analyzing the seized material.
Read full article at bleepingcomputer.com
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