Episode 1 - Illicit Streaming Devices as Cyber Weapons - Evidence from Taiwan

Illicit Streaming Devices (ISDs) are often marketed as low-cost alternatives for accessing pirated content, but emerging research shows they pose far more serious risks. In this episode of Shadow Markets, we summarise empirical findings from a study of ISDs circulating in Taiwan, examining how modified media players and their required third-party applications create significant cybersecurity exposure.

Drawing on systematic testing, the research shows that a substantial proportion of applications used to operate these devices contain malicious code, including tools for data exfiltration, advertising fraud, and remote device control. Once deployed at scale, compromised ISDs can be recruited into botnets such as Mirai, effectively transforming private households into distributed infrastructure capable of supporting large-scale cyber attacks.

The episode explores how these risks intersect with organised cybercrime, malware supply chains, and national-level security concerns. It concludes by outlining evidence-based mitigation strategies, including market controls, domain blocking, and consumer education, aimed at reducing the downstream harm created by high-risk, pirated hardware.