Hackers were able to download programmes that were intended to be viewed only on the iPhone and the iPod Touch, a service launched last week, and copy the files to their hard disk using a plug-in for the Firefox browser.

The BBC said in a statement: "We've released a fix to prevent unrestricted downloading of streamed TV programmes on BBC iPlayer."

It conceded that protecting copyright was an ongoing problem as hackers were constantly finding new ways to exploit the system put in place to prevent piracy.

"Like other broadcasters, the security of rights-protected content online is an issue we take very seriously. It's an ongoing, constant process and one which we will continue to monitor," the statement continued.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer

Back to index