The National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) approved, on Thursday (9), an action plan to combat the sale of non-approved television devices, known as “TV boxes”.
The measure provides for the blocking or redirection of content traffic from pay-TV channels and streaming services that are illegally used by the devices.
According to agency data, it is estimated that there are currently between 5 and 7 million TV boxes in use in the country.
The agency stated that the deactivation of the equipment will be carried out gradually and remotely, with prior analysis of the equipment by Anatel.
The agency’s intention is to prevent or significantly impair the operation of this equipment and to discourage its use. With this, Anatel plans to:
- reduce risks to telecommunications networks caused by non-approved TV Box devices;
- increase the physical and data security of users;
- reduce the clandestine activity of providing SeAC (pay TV) by non-granted entities or individuals;
- improve the competitive balance of the audiovisual market by reducing irregular offers of content coming from the SeAC.
According to Anatel, the risks to users and telecommunications networks were the main motivators for the development of the plan.
Reverse engineering studies by the agency, carried out between May 2021 and December 2022, found the presence of malicious software (malware) capable of allowing criminals to take control of the TV box to capture user data and information, such as financial records or files and photos that are stored on devices that share the same network.
Agency technicians also verified in the tests that the malware allows the remote operation of installed applications and the carrying out of distributed denial of service attacks (DDoS – Distributed Denial of Service), with risks to public and private institutions that use telecommunications networks.
As for the options for users of this irregular equipment, the Agency recalls that, according to its 2020 decision, closed television channels can be subscribed to and legally accessed over the internet. Since then, the availability of more affordable legitimate offers for consumers of this content has grown.
With information from Reuters
Source: CNN Brasil
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