Digital pirates steal signals, money from leagues
By: Josh Peter, USA TODAY Sports
"LAS VEGAS — Parading into the Octagon, the fighters brawled, unleashing kicks and punches that drew lusty cheers and, more often than not, ample blood bout after bout.
"'Just keeps on coming,' said Clint Cox, Director of Content Protection for Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) that stages the mixed martial arts events. Yet Cox was less focused on the fighters than on the action on the six computer screens he monitored.
"From his second-floor office, almost five miles from the UFC's show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena recently, Cox chased digital pirates — computer hackers who steal the UFC's pay-per-view signal and rebroadcast it online for free rather than the $54.99 the UFC charges.
"On the attack, Cox fired off a flurry of cease-and-desist notices. Then he clicked on one of the video streams he'd been tracking."
