: Initial uploads began on KickassTorrents, notably a DVD rip of Toy Story 1 & 2 . As traffic grew, the official YIFY Torrents website was launched.
: The term "YIFY" became the most searched term on BitTorrent websites, surpassing many legitimate search queries.
The "YIFY" model was built on three pillars that served as a blueprint for casual movie piracy: The Prototype YIFY
: Following Swery's retirement, the group rebranded to YTS (YIFY Torrent Solutions) and moved to new domains (yts.re) under a new management team. Legacy and Shutdown
The brand (later rebranded to YTS ) originated in 2010 as a peer-to-peer movie release group founded by Yiftach Swery in Auckland, New Zealand. Before it became a global household name for digital piracy, it existed as a "prototype" of modern movie distribution—pioneering a specific model that traded audio-visual fidelity for extreme accessibility. The Core Methodology : Initial uploads began on KickassTorrents, notably a
: Every release followed a rigid template—consistent naming conventions, built-in subtitles, and small file sizes (typically ~700MB for 720p) that allowed users with slow internet to download full films quickly.
: Using the x264 standard, YIFY encoded high-definition movies (720p and 1080p) into files roughly one-tenth the size of a standard Blu-ray rip. The "YIFY" model was built on three pillars
The original YIFY/YTS operation was shut down permanently in after a legal settlement with the Motion Picture Association (MPA) . Although the original founder settled out of court and remained confidential, the group's "prototype" for movie distribution was immediately adopted by numerous clones and imitators. Sites like YTS.mx continue to use the YIFY branding today, though they are unaffiliated with the original 2010 group.
Week 1: Introduction
Week 2: Strengthen your defenses
Week 3: Analyzing endpoint behavior
Week 4: Access & identity controls
Week 5: Web filtering & application control
Week 6: Patching & backups
Week 7: Office 365 & cloud controls
Week 8: Harden your MAC environment
Week 9: Server hardening
Week 10: Security audits
Week 11: Incident response framework
Week 12: Policy hygiene & standardization
Week 13: File integrity & deception
Week 14: Configurations & compliance
Week 15: Series overview
There are 15 webinars, each approximately one hour long including an audience Q&A. If you put one webinar's recommendations per week, you will complete the series in approximately 100 days.
This series is for IT professionals ready to take control of their environment, whether you've just inherited one, are rebuilding from the ground up, or need to scale and secure what’s already in place.
No, you can implement the recommendations in all or only a few of the sessions, but we do recommend watching all of them in order, as we often build on the previous week's efforts.
No, the entire series, including the additional downloadable resources, is completely free.
Unfortunately, the badge was only available for people who attended the sessions live in May-August 2025.
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