Wired has a nice article up, delving into the behind the scenes activity of the mega-pirates - the guys who get the original pirate copies and seed them in the pirate channels and watch them eventually filter through to the mainstream p2p networks. It all sounds so sensational and matrix like, I’m half expecting to read about ‘the one’ - a character who can fly around and star in crap sequels. It’s a fun read.

The upper reaches of the network are a “darknet,” hidden behind layers of security. The sites use a “bounce” to hide their IP address, and members can log in only from trusted IP addresses already on file. Most transmissions between sites use heavy-duty encryption. Finally, they continually change the usernames and passwords required to log in. Estimates say this media darknet distributes more than half a million movies every day. It’s also, by any reading of the law, a vast criminal enterprise engaged in wholesale copyright infringement.

Link. (via.)