Tracing the source of video streaming servers: A digital forensic investigation of potential intellectual property infringement

This case study revolves around an investigation conducted for an intellectual property lawyer who sought to determine where a company streamed video files from. The servers were found to be delivered via a content delivery network (CDN), which potentially breached the rights agreement for use of the content. Notion Digital Forensics provided authoritative ownership records and, through further forensic analysis, located the ultimate company potentially in breach of their copyright obligations.

Objectives

The goal of this investigation was to identify the location of video streaming media servers and assess potential copyright infringement in the distribution of the content.

Approach

Our team undertook a detailed analysis of the servers’ setup, discovering they were delivered via a CDN. We provided authoritative ownership records of the main website and details and ownership of the infrastructure used to stream the content in different jurisdictions. This information was coupled with a forensic analysis of financial records to pinpoint the ultimate company in question.

Results

Through our investigative efforts, we successfully determined the locations of the video streaming media servers and identified the CDN’s role in content distribution. Our team was able to provide authoritative ownership records of the main website and the streaming infrastructure. In addition, we located the ultimate company potentially in breach of their copyright obligations.

Conclusion

The digital forensic investigation led to a clear understanding of the video streaming media servers’ distribution method and the potential infringement of copyright agreements. Our findings allowed the intellectual property lawyer to take appropriate action and protect their client’s rights.