Operation 404 is a major multi-jurisdictional effort designed to curb digital pirates throughout Brazil, a country where the consumption of pirated local and international content remains massive and very impactful for the entertainment and media industry. The third phase of Operation 404 elevates Brazil to the position of leadership in the fight against piracy in Latin America.
Since its launch in 2019, the project has been a joint effort involving public authorities and private initiatives to crack down piracy and cybercrime. In the first three phases of the operation, more than 790 websites were shut down, at least 250 illegal applications closed and dozens of search and seizure warrants throughout Brazil.
Operation 404 phase 3 is still in progress with the latest raid taking place in the Belo Horizonte region on Tuesday, July 20, 2021.
“With the third phase of Operation 404, major industry associations, including ABTA, ACE/MPA, Alianza, APDIF and IFPI, continue to play an important role in supporting the ongoing efforts and persistence of Brazilian government authorities, law enforcement and other agencies in taking down pirate organizations,” said Pascal Métral, vice president of Legal Affairs and head of anti-piracy intelligence, investigations and litigation at NAGRA, a leading company in digital security that produces intelligence and technical assistance to support the operations carried out by local authorities.
“NAGRA congratulates all the industry bodies and organizations involved in Operation 404 for their continued diligence – and success – in the fight against piracy. We are proud to be part of a project that brings together local, regional, public and private organizations spanning many countries, to once again leverage our anti-piracy capabilities to help bring down criminal activities,” said Métral.
Many companies that operate in a criminal manner maintain a facade of legitimate business, which can only be noticed through permanent surveillance and the use of technologies that make it possible to identify the trail of offenders. According to Métral, “Actions to combat piracy, in addition to putting an end to the false feeling that the network is a land without an owner, continue to have an impact by improving solutions, technologies and strategies to deal with pirates”.
The violation of copyrights, by the unauthorized display or retransmission of IPTV or streaming content, is not limited to the loss of the audiovisual chain, compromising local economies, which fail to open jobs and collect taxes, given the illicit activity. The alarm also sounds when the focus is on the relationship with the consumer, who exposes themselves to the risk of having personal data captured by malware present in pirate applications.
About NAGRA
NAGRA, the digital TV division of the Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S), provides security and multiscreen user experience solutions for the monetization of digital media. The company provides content providers and DTV operators worldwide with secure, open and integrated platforms and applications over broadcast, broadband and mobile platforms, enabling compelling and personalized viewing experiences. Please visit dtv.nagra.com for more information and follow us on Twitter at @nagrakudelski.
