INDUSTRY WATCH
It found that 20% of the 88 billion total
credential stuffing attacks observed
during the reporting period targeted
media companies.
Always ‘first on the scene’, this
development helps BFMTV to further
increase its lead by offering the best
viewing experience on smartphone.
Innovation – a strategic priority for
Altice France
The partnership between Altice France and
Wildmoka represents a shared ambition
to innovate and improve not only the
experience of viewing on mobile, but also
the ‘real estate’ value of the space on
mobile screens. As the only French group
offering this global innovation, Altice
France soon will offer ‘Live Vertical’ using
Wildmoka’s technology on other group
outlets such as BFM Business.
Thanks to the strength of this world-first and
its impact in terms of audience engagement,
Altice demonstrates it is making innovation a
strategic priority.
Whether through the products and services
designed by Altice Labs, or partnerships
with startups like Wildmoka, Altice
demonstrates its commitment to
investing in network distribution and
media innovation.
Arthur Dreyfuss, CEO of Altice Média, said:
“It is a source of real pride to be the first TV
channel in the world to offer an innovation
that makes television the best way to get
real-time news on a smartphone. Altice
France is adding a new dimension to the
medium of television, with a unique user
experience that will further enhance the
leading position of BFMTV and the group’s
channels. This innovation is the result of our
historical and eternal desire to explore new
formats, to continue our investments and
to combine technical progress with
editorial quality to present ever more
accurate information.”
Thomas Menguy, President and CTO of
Wildmoka, said: “Wildmoka is proud to have
gained the confidence of several Altice
Group channels over the past three years
and to once again be able to launch, within
Altice France, a global innovation based
on Artificial Intelligence and the latest
cloud technologies. After assisting in the
creation of sports content for RMC Sport, it
is BFMTV’s turn to use Wildmoka’s unique
expertise around AI and ML to verticalise
its content for news in real time, in order to
better respond to an increasingly connected
and mobile audience.”
Meanwhile, a report from Akamai, the
intelligent Edge platform for securing
and delivering digital experiences, has
highlighted how the media/broadcast
industry is being targeted with credential
stuffing attacks.
The report, Akamai 2020 State of the
Internet / Credential Stuffing in the Media
Industry, stated that the media industry
suffered 17 billion credential stuffing attacks
between January 2018 and December 2019.
Media companies present an attractive
target for criminals according to the
report, which reveals a 63% year-overyear
increase in attacks against the
video media sector. The report also
shows 630% and 208% year-over-year
increases in attacks against broadcast
TV and video sites, respectively. At the
same time, attacks targeting video
services are up 98%, while those against
video platforms dropped by 5%. The
marked uptick in attacks aimed at
broadcast TV and video sites appear
to coincide with an explosion of ondemand
media content in 2019.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
publication of the report was delayed
from April to July. The extra time
allowed Q1 2020 data to be added to
the original report and it was found
that during this period, there was a large
spike in malicious login attempts
against European video service
providers and broadcasters during
the first quarter of 2020.
One attack in late March, after many
isolation protocols had been instituted,
directed nearly 350,000,000 attempts
against a single service provider over
a 24-hour period. Separately, one
broadcaster well known across the
region, was hit with a barrage of attacks
over the course of the quarter with
peaks that ranged in the billions.
Akamai researchers also observed a
decline in the cost of stolen account
credentials over the course of the
quarter, which traded for approximately
US$1 to US$5 at the start, and US$10
to US$45 for package offers of multiple
services. Those prices fell as new
accounts and lists of recycled credentials
populated the market.
So, while broadcasters are innovating
to accommodate their audience, they
must sleep with one eye open to ensure
they are aware of those trying to harm
their endeavours. •
76 INTELLIGENTCIO www.intelligentcio.com