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In a notable move, Amazon has blacklisted some popular third-party apps like Flix Vision, OceanStreamz, Blink Streamz, and Live NetTV, on Fire TV devices.
If you sideload these apps, you will find that they are DISABLED and it will ask you to either Keep the app OR uninstall. In either case, you won’t be able to open and use it. See this👇
These restrictions come at a time when there’s increased piracy and the ease of Jailbreaking Fire TV Stick to install any app that has free content OR those apps that aren’t available on the Amazon app store.
Despite these restrictions, there’s still a ‘workaround’ on accessing these apps i.e. installing the older version. (e.g. Flix Vision v3.1, Live Net TV v1.7.7).
We don’t know how long this solution works, but this is what we have for now and they are working just fine. But this begs a very important question, ‘Why now, and why these apps?’.
The True Reason Behind Disabling These Apps...
When we researched it further and tried to make a comparison of these 4 apps that have been restricted, we found a STRIKING similarity.
It appears that the real reason Amazon targeted these two apps is their use of resource monetization services. These services pay app developers by utilizing device CPU power and network traffic while the app is running.
Apps like Flix Vision, Live NetTV, Blink Streamz, and Ocean Streamz have been linked to these services, which are often classified as RISKWARE.
This means that these apps might use your device’s CPU power (the brain of your device) and network traffic (the data your device sends and receives over the internet) while the app is running.
This is often seen as a way for the app developers to make money, but it can be a security risk because your device might be used without your knowledge for activities like data mining or providing a network for hackers to exploit.
So its more about the Cybersecurity thing than piracy alone. Because… it can open doors for cybercriminals to exploit Fire TV devices and use residential IPs for malicious activities.
🔒 CYBERSECURITY ANALYSIS: Independent Testing Results
Our development team at “FirestickHacks.com” conducted comprehensive security testing on Blink Streamz to verify the legitimacy of Amazon’s concerns. Here’s our detailed cybersecurity report:
VirusTotal Analysis Results
We submitted the Blink Streamz APK (version 1.8) to VirusTotal, one of the industry’s most trusted malware scanning platforms, which aggregates results from 69+ antivirus engines.
Key Findings:
- Detection Rate: 6 out of 69 security vendors flagged the application
- Community Score: 6/10 (indicating moderate risk)
- File Hash: c730a886387ba81e6226c7a4a5a938424b618434be03eb4db904f2f326406886
Specific Security Vendor Detections:
- AhnLab-V3: Classified as “PUP/Android Agent” (Potentially Unwanted Program)
- Kaspersky: Flagged as “Not-a-virus:HEUR:RiskTool.AndroidOS” (Heuristic RiskTool detection)
- Ikarus: Identified as “Trojan.AndroidOS.Agent”
- Google Play Protect: Marked as “Detected”
- K7GW: Classified as “Trojan (0051404f1)”
- Symantec Mobile Insight: Labeled as “AppRisk:Generisk”
Expert Analysis:
What These Detections Mean:
- PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program): The app contains components that may perform actions users didn’t explicitly consent to
- RiskTool Classification: Indicates the presence of resource monetization services that utilize device CPU and network resources
- Heuristic Detection: Advanced pattern recognition identified suspicious behavior patterns typical of apps with hidden background processes
Technical Assessment: Our cybersecurity team’s analysis confirms that Blink Streamz does indeed contain resource monetization SDKs. These components can:
- Utilize device processing power for distributed computing tasks
- Establish network connections to third-party servers
- Operate background processes without explicit user notification
- Potentially expose devices to proxy network participation
Risk Assessment Summary:
Medium Risk Level – While not traditional malware, the app poses legitimate security concerns:
✅ Confirmed Findings:
- Presence of resource monetization services
- Background CPU utilization capabilities
- Network traffic routing potential
- Limited transparency about background operations
⚠️ Security Implications:
- Device performance degradation
- Increased data usage
- Potential for residential IP exploitation
- Privacy concerns regarding data transmission
Professional Recommendation: The security concerns identified by Amazon and confirmed through our independent testing are legitimate. Users should exercise caution when using applications with these characteristics.
What Can You Do to Protect your Fire TV Stick?…
By using a VPN, you can encrypt your internet connection, ensuring that your data is private and secure.
Whether it’s sensitive information or just your browsing activity, a VPN prevents third parties from tracking or hijacking your data, protecting you from potential threats like malware and data leaks.
If you’re going to use a VPN, I would recommend using Surfshark. With Surfshark, your internet traffic is routed through a secure tunnel. This means your device isn’t unknowingly sending data to suspicious servers or running background tasks for advertisers or cybercriminals.
So, if you’re going to use these third-party apps from now onwards, use it with a VPN.
