An In-Depth Measurement of Security and Privacy Risks in the Free Live Sports Streaming Ecosystem

Free live sports streaming (FLS) services attract millions of users who, driven by the excitement of live events, often engage with these high-risk platforms. Although these platforms are widely perceived as risky, the specific threats they pose have lacked large-scale empirical analysis. This paper addresses this gap through a comprehensive study of the FLS ecosystem, conducted during two major international sporting events (UCL playoffs and NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, 2024–2025 season). We analyze the infrastructure, security threats, and privacy violations that define this space. Analysis of 260 unique domains uncovers systemic security risks, including drive-by downloads delivering persistent malware, and widespread privacy violations, such as invasive device fingerprinting that disregards regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Furthermore, we map the ecosystem’s resilient infrastructure, identifying eight clusters of co-owned domains. These findings imply that effective countermeasures must target the centralized infrastructure and ephemeral nature of the FLS ecosystem beyond traditional blocking.