Spain’s Ongoing Pirate Site-Blocking War Targets Thousands of Subdomains

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Amendments to Spain’s Copyright Act (Law No. 2/2011) in 2011 led to the formation of an administrative body known as the Second Section of the Intellectual Property Commission (S2CPI).

S2CPI launched in 2012 under the Spanish government’s Ministry of Culture and Sports and has the authority to instruct the country’s internet service providers to block subscriber access to confirmed pirate sites and services.

Data just published, covering the first quarter of 2024, begins with an overview of the number of blocking applications filed by rightsholders since records began in 2012. Even though three-quarters of the year remains, it seems unlikely that 2024 will see as many applications as 2023 or 2022.

Blocking applications to S2CPI (2021-2024(Q1)blk app s2cpi 2024

The blocking process is triggered when rightsholders file an application with S2CPI to block a domain operated by a pirate site or service. From 2012 to Q1 2024, 909 applications were submitted, although just 11 of those during the first three months of 2024.

Over a Third of Applications Fail

While the specifics aren’t for public consumption, since its launch, S2CPI has rejected 24 blocking applications. Four of those were rejected in Q1 2024 for complaining about the registration of a website, not an established website where infringement is taking place.

In fact, the Spanish system seems quite prone to applications failing for one reason or another. Of the 909 applications ever received, 335 were closed for various rightsholder-related reasons, including withdrawing their own applications, failing to correct defective applications, and filing applications on insufficient grounds.

Other applications failed due to the disappearance of the pirate site in question, or the removal of the infringing content during S2CPI’s preliminary investigations.

“In the first quarter of 2024, no applications have been closed after the phase of investigations prior to the initiation agreement due to the applicant’s withdrawal,” S2CPI’s report notes.

564 Successful Applications From 2012 to Q1 2024

An application is considered successful if it complies with the law and “has given rise to the initiation of a procedure.” From 2012 to Q1 2024, 564 applications met the standard and of those, 447 were “fully processed” after a final resolution of withdrawal or blocking- or a resolution to archive.

“In the first quarter of 2024 there were 17 final resolutions corresponding to two special procedures (shorter because the responsible party was not duly identified in accordance with article 10 of Law 34/2002, of July 11, 2002, on information society services) and one ordinary procedure,” S2CPI notes.

Domain Names Subject to Final Resolution

There are no specific requirements for EU member states to make the domain names they block on copyright grounds available to the public. For those that do, transparency is often cited as important; for those that don’t, it’s not unusual for the justification for non-transparency to be just as opaque.

Despite recent controversies with its Piracy Shield blocking system and a marked reduction in transparency, no country comes close to the detailed reporting of Italy in respect of its regular site blocking system. Spain could do much more, but it still goes further than most.

By making lists of targeted domains public it hopes to “encourage and promote the adoption of voluntary measures of collaboration by intermediary services, electronic payment services and advertising services with respect to these infringing services.”

The domains listed below are those for which the S2CPI has issued a firm “Final Resolution” for the removal of pirate content or ISP blocking.

1. 10downloader.com 71. genteflowmp3.one 139. nswgame.com
2. 320ytmp3.com 72. genteflowmp3.org 140. onlinevideoconverter.pro
3. 9convert.com 73. genteflowmp3.tv 141. onlymp3.to
4. akerjandria.com 74. goear.cc 142. peliculasonlineflv.net
5. bajaepub.com 75. goear.com 143. pelis24.com
6. bajaepubgratis.com 76. goear.eu 144. pelis24.life
7. bajatodo.net 77. goear.pub 145. pelis24.live
8. bajatodo.xyz 78. grantorrent.cc 146. pelis24.tv
9. b-ok.cc 79. grantorrent.com 147. pelisespaña.club
10. booksmedicos.me 80. grantorrent.eu 148. pelisespaña.life
11. booksmedicos.org 81. grantorrent.la 149. pelisespaña.site
12. cinefox.tv 82. grantorrent.net 150. pordescargadirecta.com
13. clickmp3.com 83. grantorrent.nl 151. pordescargadirecta1.com
14. compralia.es 84. grantorrent.online 152. quedelibros.com
15. culturaparatodos.eu 85. grantorrent.tech 153. radikal-gamez.net
16. dafenart.com 86. grantorrent.xyz 154. repacklab.com
17. debeleer.com 87. grantorrentt.com 155. Romxci.com
18. descargalibrosxd.com 88. gratis-mp3s.net 156. rpgarchive.net
19. descargarmusica.me 89. harpofilm.com 157. rpgonly.com
20. divx-latino.com 90. harpofilm.es 158. savetube.io
21. divxtotal.com 91. holaebook.com 159. seriesflv.net
22. downmagaz.net 92. idoc.pub 160. sinoa.li
23. ducumon.me 93. internetculture.xyz 161. Snapinsta.io
24. ebookelo.com 94. lacalleochotv.org 162. snapsave.io
25. ebookmundo.net 95. lectulandia.cc 163. softcobra.net
26. ebookmundo.org 96. lectulandia.co 164. soymp3.live
27. eggnsemulator.com 97. lectulandia.com 165. soymp3.net
28. elitetorrent.com 98. lectulandia.eu 166. soymp3.org
29. elsolucionario.org 99. lectulandia.me 167. taodung.com
30. emudesc.com 100. lectulandia.mobi 168. thepiratebay.com
31. epublibrosgratis.com 101. lectulandia.rock 169. thepiratebay.net
32. team.gdn 102. lectulandia.top 170. thepiratebay.org
33. equipox.online 103. lectulandia.us 171. thepiratebay.se
34. equipox.ovh 104. lectulandia2.com 172. Tinfoil.io
35. en.ytmp3.plus 105. lectulandia2.org 173. Tinfoil.media
36. espaebook.com 106. lelibros 174. todocvcd.com
37. espaebook.org mforos.com 175. todocvcd.net
38. espapdf.com 107. libronube.com 176. todoesgratis.online
39. espapdf.net 108. books4.com 177. todogamez.com
40. exclusivedd.com 109. books4.com 178. tonina.net
41. exclusivedd.net 110. libros4.net 179. tomp3.cc
42. exclusivedd.org 111. librosdemario.com 180. tucinecom.com
43. exdd.net 112. librosgeniales.com 181. ultimoslanzamientos.com
44. exvagos.club 113. librospdgratismundo.com 182. Vdoc.com.br
45. exvagos.com 114. Libzlibraries.com 183. veocine.es
46. exvagos.li 115. lomusical.com 184. vercanalestv1.com
47. exvagos.me 116. lomusical.com.co 185. verdirecto.tv
48. exvagos.net 117. lomusical.com.do 186. vooxi.com
49. exvagos.ovh 118. lomusical.com.mx 187. wwd.simp3s.app
50. exvagos.pro 119. lomusical.org 188. wwe.simp3s.app
51. exvagos.tv 120. Loslibrosquenecesitogratis.com 189. wwv.goear.info
52. exvagos.uk 121. Mir-knigi.net 190. wwv.gratis-mp3s.net
53. fiuxy.biz 122. mp3-convert.org 191. www.idoc.pub
54. . yump3.kim 123. mp3teca.com 192. x2download.com
55. elitetorrent.net 124. mp3xd.com 193. x-caleta.com
56. fiuxy.bz 125. multiestrenos.com 194. x-caleta2.com
57. fiuxy.co 126. Mundoepubgratis2.com 195. yoump3.app
58. fiuxy.com 127. musicalcloud.com 196. Youtube4kdownloader.com
59. fiuxy.eu 128. musicalcloud.es 197. yt1s.com
60. fiuxy.net 129. music-bazaar.biz 198. yt2mp3.info
61. fiuxy.org 130. music-bazaar.com 199. yt5s.com
62. flac24bitsearch.com 131. musicbazaar.mobi 200. ytmp3.mobi
63. flipax2.net 132. music-bazaar.movi 201. ziperto.com
64. forowarez.co 133. music-bazaar.net 202. Zlibraries.ru
65. freelibros.com 134. music-bazaar.org 203. Zlibraries.com
66. freelibros.me 135. music-bazaar.pro 204. Zlibri.it
67. freelibros.org 136. nasyeli.li 205. zlibros.es
68. fuleteo.pro 137. newpct.com 206. Zlibros.mx
69. genteflowmp3.com 138. newpelis24.com 207. zonapdf.com
70. genteflowmp3.me

Administrative Blocking in Spain

When the site blocking movement was first gaining momentum, concerns at internet service providers were not uncommon. As providers of internet connectivity, blocking elements of the internet ran counter to their core mission. Others quite rightly expressed concerns that if they agreed to block a few bad actors, it most likely wouldn’t stop there.

But even more importantly, where were the legal protections should everything go wrong? In the UK, Scandinavia and other European countries testing these waters, applications for injunctions at competent courts allowed increasingly flexible ISPs to offload their concerns onto the shoulders of a judge.

Judicial oversight on blocking matters still plays a role in some countries but in Denmark, Germany, Portugal, and more recently Spain, codes of conduct agreed between rightsholders, ISPs, and other interested parties, tackle site-blocking on an administrative basis.

Operated within the confines of the law but without its persistent oversight, those who request blocking and those with the ability to carry it out, do so directly.

Countering Blocking Countermeasures

For blocking proponents, eliminating friction in the system is increasingly important; blocked sites tend not to stay blocked for very long, so any blocking countermeasures need to be countered quickly. In Spain, sites that have already been blocked after being declared infringing, are handled under the administrative system when infringement persists.

That can mean rightsholders reporting replacement domains, proxy and mirror sites, or the growing deployment of subdomains by pirate sites whose main domains are usually already blocked.

subdomainsAccording to the latest S2CPI report, late December 2023 the technical committee representing rightsholder signatories to Spain’s code of conduct, was submitting around 132 reports on a weekly basis, relating to more than 848 domains which together had deployed at least 3,972 subdomains.

Since in many cases these subdomains are configured to undermine blocking, swift and direct action is preferred to the relatively laborious process offered by the courts.

In this case all were quickly blocked but the use of subdomains to mitigate blocking isn’t anything new. Spain mentioned the practice in its 2021 report but with smaller numbers; 172 domains deploying 697 subdomains. In reality, this has been going on for a long time, but it’s the scale that makes it more notable today.

If we compare Spain’s figures to a small sample of the subdomains deployed by pirate IPTV providers to evade blocking by Sky in the UK, we get some idea of just how quickly matters can get out of hand when it’s possible to generate and deploy thousands of subdomains at will, within just a few minutes.

sky-iptv-dga

The 848 domains and by extension their 3,972 subdomains mentioned in the report are likely to be outdated figures after five additional months of blocking. However, when compared to other countries, Italy for example, Spain’s blocking of main domains is fairly low. At the time of writing, Italy’s main blocklist (not Piracy Shield) contains exactly 4,000 domains. Perhaps the closest by volume is Denmark’s list, which currently contains 783 domains.

The final list of domains made public by S2CPI in its latest report is somewhat similar to the UK’s Infringing Website List. It’s designed to prevent advertisers from doing business with the sites but also rolls in ISP blocking for good measure.

1337x.abcproxy.org dontorrent.wales pirate-proxy.date
1337x.buzz dontorrent.wf pirateproxy.live
1337x.gd dontorrent.win pirate-proxy.onl
1337x.proxyninja.org dontorrent.ws pirate-proxy.pw
1337x.st dontorrent.wtf piratez.xyz
1337x.to dontorrent.xyz remnantvt.com
1337x.torrentbay.to Dontorrent.yokohama repacklab.com
1337x.unblockit.app dontorrent.yt romslab.com
1337x.unblockit.cat ebiblioteca.org rpgarchive.net
1337x.unblockit.ltd epublibre.org savefrom.net
1337x.unblockit.nz epublibre.xyz simp3.page
1337x.unblockninja.com epublibrosgratis.com simp3s.blog
1337xto.to en.1lib.limited singemp3.app
1337xx.to en.3lib.net smg.cab
1337xxx.to en.art1lib.org songswave.com
1377.gd en.b-ok.global songswave.tel
1377x.to en.b-ok.xyz ssyoutube.bz
1lib.education en.booksc.org ssyoutube.com
1lib.limited en.savefrom.net ssyoutube.com
217jc07.com en.singlelogin.se ssyoutube.com.co
2conv.biz en.ytmp3.plus ssyoutube.mobi
2conv.com en.z-library.se thepiratebay.org
2lib.org exdd.net thepiratebay.party
320ytmp3.com extratorrent.si thepiratebay10.info
320ytmp3.info extratorrents.it thepiratebay3.to
320ytmp3.info f3mp3.com todoesgratis.online
320ytmp3.org f3mp3.com toolssolar.com
3lib.net fiuxy2.co torlock.unblockit.club
3wp2hb.club flac24bitmusic.com torlock2.com
88yespay.com flac-album.com tpb.wtf
9convert.com flipax.foroactivo.com tpbpirateproxy.org
9convert.com flipax2.me turkeynews.org
adaptiveequip.com flipax2.net twmp3.download/
ak47full.co flv2all.com u3.cuevana3.me
ak47full.com flv2mp3.by v1.mp3teca.ws
ak47full.net flvconverter.org v1.simp3s.online
ak47full.org flvto.biz v2.y2mate.bz
ar.art1lib.org flvto.bz v3.mp3teca.ws
art1lib.org flvto.com.mx viciovip.net
atomixhq.club flvto.pro viciovip.site
atomixhq.tel flvto.pro video-to-mp3-converter.com
atomixhq.xyz flvtomp3.cc wvw.gratis-mp3s.net
atomohd.app foodcdnreviews.com ww2.ebookelo.com
atomohd.art forowarez.cc ww2.lectulandia.com
atomohd.cc free520.net ww3.cuevana3.me
atomohd.ch fuleteoplus.com wwi.buentema.cc
atomohd.click fullvicio.com www.atomohd.vg
atomohd.com grantorrent.fi www.booksmedicos.net
atomohd.cx grantorrent.si www.booksmedicos.org
atomohd.eu gratis-mp3s.net www.clickmp3.com
atomohd.fi hanouz.com www.cuevana3.fm
atomohd.in hkepet.com www.dontorrent.uno
atomohd.li holaebook.com www.ebookelo.com
atomohd.link holaebook.org www.epublibre.org
atomohd.live holaepub.com www.espaebook2.com
atomohd.net igmp3.download www.flvtomp3.cc
atomohd.nu ipauta.com www.forowarez.cc
atomohd.one itnetwork.store www.freelibros.me
atomohd.org k1.cuevana3.me www.lectulandia.co
atomohd.pl k3.cuevana3.me www.libronube.com
atomohd.pm knaben.ru www.libronube.com
atomohd.re knaben.xyz www.librosdemario.com
atomohd.run kokoebook.com www.limetorrents.to
atomohd.tel lectuepubgratis3.com www.onlinevideoconverter.vip
atomohd.tw lectuepubgratis3.com www.pirate-proxy.one
atomohd.vet leer.librosdemario.com www.todocvcd.nz
atomohd.vip leerlibrosdemario.com www.y2mate.com/es59
atomohd.wf lelibros.online www.youryoutubetomp3.com
atomohd.win libgen.click www.youzik.net
atomohd.xyz libgen.ee www1.cuevana3.ch
atomohd.yt libgen.fun www1.cuevana3.fm
bajaepubgratis.com libgen.gs www1.cuevana3.vc
bajaepubgratis.com libgen.gs www1.grantorrent.wf
bajartonos.org libgen.is www11.libros4.net
b-ok.africa libgen.lc www12.libros4.net
b-ok.as libgen.li www13.libros4.net
b-ok.cc libgen.pm www14.libros4.net
b-ok.global libgen.rocks www15.libros4.net
b-ok.xyz libgen.rocks www2.cuevana3.ch
book4you.org libgen.rs www2.cuevana3.pe
booksc.org libgen.rs www3.cuevana3.ch
booksc.xyz libgen.st www3.cuevana3.me
buentema.bar books4.net www4.cuevana3.ch
buentema.cc libros4.org www4.libros4.net
buentema.uno libros4.org www5.libros4.net
buentono.biz librosgratisxd.net www6.libros4.net
buentono.org librosgratisxd.xyz www7.libros4.net
c3.cuevana3.me librosgratisxd1.com www8.libros4.net
conv.pw librosgratisxd2.com x1337x.eu
conv.pw librosmania.com x1337x.eu
converter.cx limetorrent.cc x1337x.se
converter.cx limetorrent.ws x1337x.ws
corourbano.app limetorrent.xyz x2convert.com
corourbano.cc limetorrents.cyou x2convert.pro
corourbanos.com limetorrents.lol x2convert.video
cuevana3.ai limetorrents.pro x2download.app
cuevana3.ch limetorrents.to x2download.app
cuevana3.vc limetorrents.torrentsbay.org x2download.com
culturaparatodos.eu limetorrents.unblockit.date x2download.com
descargarepubgratis.org limetorrents.unblockninja.com x2download.net
descargasdd.org limetorrentx.cc y2mate.bz
descargasdd.org listenvid.net y2mate.bz
don.ms listenvid.net y2mate.com
dontorrent.art megaepubs.com y2mate.com
dontorrent.bet megaepubsgratis.com y2mate.com/en59
dontorrent.bid mirrorbay.top y2mate.is
dontorrent.bz mixnuevo.com y2meta.app
dontorrent.cab mixtema.com y2meta.com
Dontorrent.Capetown mp3.casa y2meta.com
dontorrent.cat mp3.casa y2meta.com
dontorrent.center mp3cielo.app y2meta.mobi
dontorrent.ch mp3cielo.co yoump3.dad
dontorrent.click mp3cielo.wiki yoump3.day
dontorrent.contact mp3clan.com yoump3.dev
Dontorrent.cooking mp3gato.com yoump3.fans
dontorrent.cx mp3hub.net yoump3.in
dontorrent.cymru mp3meow.com yoump3.pm
Dontorrent.cyou mp3paw.app yoump3.top
dontorrent.dev mp3quack.app yoump3.zip
dontorrent.dog mp3quack.wiki youtube-downloader.cc
dontorrent.durban mp3snow.com youtubemp3cut.com
dontorrent.eu mp3teca.app youtube-mp3-music.com
dontorrent.fail mp3teca.biz youtubemp4.kim
dontorrent.fans mp3teca.co youtube-to-mp3.com.se
dontorrent.fi mp3teca.info youtubex2.com
dontorrent.fit mp3teca.info youzik.net
dontorrent.fun mp3teca.ws yt1s.com
dontorrent.futbol mp3tecas.net yt1s.download
dontorrent.gs mp3xd.com yt1s.io
dontorrent.gy mp3xd.com yt1s.kim
dontorrent.ink mp3xd.tools yt1s.pm
dontorrent.ist mp3y.download yt5s.best
dontorrent.it mp3-youtube.download yt5s.com
dontorrent.joburg mpgun.com yt5s.com
dontorrent.kim mundoepub.com yt5s.in
dontorrent.li mundoepub1.com yt5s.io
dontorrent.ltd myfreemp3juices.cc yt5s.io
Dontorrent.makeup myfreemp3music.com ytconvert.ytmp3.guru
dontorrent.mba newalbumreleases.cc ytmate.tools
dontorrent.me newalbumreleases.net ytmp3.bid
dontorrent.men newalbumreleases.net ytmp3.cafe
dontorrent.moe noticiasatuais.info ytmp3.cc
dontorrent.nagoya notube.cc ytmp3.com.se
dontorrent.nl notube.fi ytmp3.icu
dontorrent.nu notube.im ytmp3.network
dontorrent.party notube.io ytmp3.plus
dontorrent.pet notube.lol ytmp3.plus
dontorrent.pl notube.site ytmp3.works
dontorrent.pm nsw2u.com ytmp3eu.com
dontorrent.pub nsw2u.in z2.cuevana3.me
dontorrent.pw nsw2u.org zonadelibrosxyz2.com
dontorrent.re nsw2u.tk
dontorrent.red nsw2u.xyz
dontorrent.rodeo nswgame.com
dontorrent.rs nswrom.com
dontorrent.run nxbrew.org
dontorrent.se obrintpas.com
dontorrent.si onlinevideoconverter.com
dontorrent.sk onlinevideoconverter.pro
dontorrent.soy onlinevideoconverter.vip
dontorrent.tel peggo.fun
dontorrent.tf peggo.fun
dontorrent.top pelis24.pl
dontorrent.tw pelis24.se
dontorrent.vet piratebayproxy.uk
dontorrent.vg pirate-bays.net
dontorrent.vin pirate-proxy.cc
dontorrent.vip pirate-proxy.club

From: TF, for the latest news on copyright battles, piracy and more.

Source : Spain’s Ongoing Pirate Site-Blocking War Targets Thousands of Subdomains