How to keep your Netflix account secure. If you’re a Netflix user, you probably know why it is a digital success story. Netflix leveraged faster Internet speeds and mobile technology to become one of the biggest video distribution networks in the world. With over 75 million subscribers, Netflix has made “binge-watching” commonplace—a near-universal experience for the modern couch potato. How to keep your Netflix account secure
Recently, however, it was discovered that hackers have been targeting the service’s expanding membership base. According to reports, cybercriminals are stealing user details like passwords and bank credentials via phishing campaigns and a Trojan malware—potentially for sale on the Deep Web. In this scheme, the Netflix user is tricked into clicking on a malicious link found in an email or a website which leads them to fake login page of the service. As soon as the user clicks on the link, the malware harvests account information. Additionally, the cybercriminals behind the scam are selling the stolen Netflix passwords on the Deep Web for as cheap as 25 cents a pop, or a minimum purchase of four accounts for a total of $1, adding that it has 300,000 passwords in stock—notably putting the victims at even greater risk.
Moreover, its “terms of service” warn customers not to change any account details as this would alert the real subscriber to unauthorized activity. These stolen Netflix accounts could be perused by any black-market shopper and use the pilfered credentials for just about any paid online service. The sophistication of the scam suggests that these schemes aren’t one-off jobs, but rather part of a proficient business model that potentially feeds the Deep Web economy.
Here are our top recommendations for keeping your account and personal information safe. How to keep your Netflix account secure
Use a password unique to Netflix and change it regularly
Do not use the same password on Netflix that you use for other websites or apps.
- Unique to Netflix and not used for other websites or apps
- At least 8 characters long
- A combination of letters, numbers, and symbols using both upper and lower-case letters
- Not easily guessed – such as “password,” “12345,” or your personal information (name, birthday, address)
A password manager can make it easier to keep track of unique passwords.
You should change your password regularly. Update it from your Account page, or you can send yourself a password reset email or text message.
Other actions you should take
At Netflix, we take fraud seriously. Contact us if you notice suspicious or unrecognized charges or unauthorized account activity.
Add a phone number to your account so you can recover your password if you forget it. To add or update a phone number, visit How to set up your phone number to recover your password.
Getting rid of a device you used to watch Netflix? Make sure to sign out of any accounts or services that you used on the device, including Netflix.
If the device is no longer in your possession, you can sign out of all devices from your Account page. You will need to sign in on devices you want to use.
Phishing is an attempt to get your personal information by pretending to represent a website or company you trust online.
Phishers will go to great lengths to take over your account or steal your personal information. They may create fake websites that look like Netflix, or send emails or text messages that imitate us and ask you for personal information.
Have you received a phishing message or visited a phishing website? See Phishing or suspicious emails or texts claiming to be from Netflix.
Keep your computer free of malware and viruses. Signs that your computer may be infected include:
- Unusually slow or sluggish computer performance
- Pop-up windows or advertisements displaying while streaming
- Unexpected reboots, crashes, or freezing
If you think your computer is infected, use the anti-malware, anti-adware, or anti-virus software recommended by your computer manufacturer or a trusted IT professional.
Netflix doesn’t endorse specific software, but our Support Engineers have successfully used the following to remove viruses and malware:
- Ad-Aware (Windows)
- Sophos (Windows, Mac)
- Trend Micro (Windows, Mac)
- F-Secure (Windows, Mac)
- Norton (Windows, Mac)
- Malwarebytes (Windows)
Keep in mind that new viruses and malware continually appear. Whichever program you choose to use, always keep it updated to the latest version.
If you believe you’ve found a security vulnerability on a Netflix property or app, please inform us as quickly as possible through our bug bounty program. Do not disclose the vulnerability publicly until it is fixed. We appreciate your help. We review all reports and will do our best to address the issue in a timely fashion.
For more, see our full responsible disclosure policy.
If you have questions about the privacy of your information, please see our Privacy Statement.
