Netflix - Strange Hack

[freshmanjs]

Overnight, I received 2 emails from Netflix, within 2 minutes of each other. The first said there was a new sign-on from Peru (I’m in New Jersey). The second said my account had been cancelled.

At first, I thought this might be a phishing attempt, but the emails were actually from Netflix and my account was actually cancelled.

I’ve got it reactivated now.

My question is why would a hacker get into the account successfully and then immediately cancel the account? Seems very odd to me…

Thanks for any insight!

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Overnight, I received 2 emails from Netflix, within 2 minutes of each other. The first said there was a new sign-on from Peru (I’m in New Jersey). The second said my account had been cancelled.

At first, I thought this might be a phishing attempt, but the emails were actually from Netflix and my account was actually cancelled.

I’ve got it reactivated now.

My question is why would a hacker get into the account successfully and then immediately cancel the account? Seems very odd to me…

Thanks for any insight!

Probably the same troublemaker that hacked Jay Will's Twitter to make erroneous comments.

[YmoBeThere]

I would change the CC related to the account and be ready to cancel the one that was on there when the account got hacked.

[Rich]

Could be related to this -- https://www.businessinsider.com/netf...counts-2019-11

Some Netflix customers who canceled their subscriptions were surprised to see new charges from the video-streaming service on their bank statements months later.

Those people's accounts were reactivated by hackers without their knowledge, according to a new BBC report. The hackers didn't need users' bank information to reactivate their accounts — all they had to do was log in.

...

There's a cottage industry for hacked Netflix accounts. Hackers frequently sell login credentials online at discounted prices

[Native]

It’s almost certainly the above. Deactivating your account is a red herring meant to get you off your guard.

You should absolutely cancel the credit card originally associated with the account. Longer-term, you could look into something like Privacy cards. They let you create virtual, burner credit cards that can lock to a single merchant and specific charge amounts. My Netflix account is backed by a virtual credit card number that only allows $12.99/mo charges to Netflix. Any charge in any other amount or to any other payee is automatically declined.

[freshmanjs]

It’s almost certainly the above. Deactivating your account is a red herring meant to get you off your guard.

You should absolutely cancel the credit card originally associated with the account. Longer-term, you could look into something like Privacy cards. They let you create virtual, burner credit cards that can lock to a single merchant and specific charge amounts. My Netflix account is backed by a virtual credit card number that only allows $12.99/mo charges to Netflix. Any charge in any other amount or to any other payee is automatically declined.

Thanks, but I'm not following. The above article is about hackers taking over cancelled accounts and reactivating them. In that case, the hacker gains an active account without paying for it.

What I have here was an active account that a hacker cancelled. I cannot see how a hacker gained anything from this move.

Also, it is not possible for the hacker to gain access to the credit card number from a simple Netflix account hack. So, I'm still stumped what the point of this was.

[LasVegas]

Thanks, but I'm not following. The above article is about hackers taking over cancelled accounts and reactivating them. In that case, the hacker gains an active account without paying for it.

What I have here was an active account that a hacker cancelled. I cannot see how a hacker gained anything from this move.

Also, it is not possible for the hacker to gain access to the credit card number from a simple Netflix account hack. So, I'm still stumped what the point of this was.

Right. My Netflix account only displays the last 4 digits on my card. Useless to anyone.

[YmoBeThere]

Thanks, but I'm not following. The above article is about hackers taking over cancelled accounts and reactivating them. In that case, the hacker gains an active account without paying for it.

What I have here was an active account that a hacker cancelled. I cannot see how a hacker gained anything from this move.

Also, it is not possible for the hacker to gain access to the credit card number from a simple Netflix account hack. So, I'm still stumped what the point of this was.

Right. My Netflix account only displays the last 4 digits on my card. Useless to anyone.

I think you are both thinking like law abiding citizens. If I can hack your account, I can figure out a way to get your CC number to go with it...

[LasVegas]

I think you are both thinking like law abiding citizens. If I can hack your account, I can figure out a way to get your CC number to go with it...

I don’t know. Getting access to a regular user’s username and password is a lot easier than getting into some Netflix admin account that could potentially see those things. Netflix doesn’t make it possible to see the entire card number in your own account so if that’s all the hacker has, no big deal. As long as you don’t use that username/password combo for anything else. Now if this hacker got into the Netflix database, we are all probably screwed!

[freshmanjs]

I think you are both thinking like law abiding citizens. If I can hack your account, I can figure out a way to get your CC number to go with it...

Sorry, but this is just simply not true. There certainly are hackers out there that could do both, but getting to the credit card database is much harder than hacking an individual account. And, even i f it were true, it wouldn't explain why the hacker cancelled the account.

[cspan37421]

IDK. "Hidden" CC numbers often show the last 4 digits anyway. It's my understanding that the first 6 digits are not unique - they're tied to the type of card and which issuing bank. So the random space of "known unknowns" isn't really all that large.

Not that I could do anything with it, but it's probably an info boost to those with much computing power and a dedication to crime.

[freshmanjs]

IDK. "Hidden" CC numbers often show the last 4 digits anyway. It's my understanding that the first 6 digits are not unique - they're tied to the type of card and which issuing bank. So the random space of "known unknowns" isn't really all that large.

Not that I could do anything with it, but it's probably an info boost to those with much computing power and a dedication to crime.

I can see that someone might hack Netflix to try to steal credit card numbers (although it's not nearly as easy as you all make it sound). Regardless, the question was why someone would hack Netflix to cancel an account. So far, haven't heard any plausible explanations for that. Canceling the account does nothing to benefit the hacker that I can see.

[LasVegas]

I can see that someone might hack Netflix to try to steal credit card numbers (although it's not nearly as easy as you all make it sound). Regardless, the question was why someone would hack Netflix to cancel an account. So far, haven't heard any plausible explanations for that. Canceling the account does nothing to benefit the hacker that I can see.

Maybe they did it just to mess with you? Mission accomplished lol

[fidel]

Make sure you dont reuse passwords. If they get in there, they can figure where else you log in to.

I don’t know why they would signal that they hacked you though. That’s strange.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

Make sure you dont reuse passwords. If they get in there, they can figure where else you log in to.

I don’t know why they would signal that they hacked you though. That’s strange.

Yeah, I certainly don't use my same password for 95% of my accounts...

[Rich]

I can see that someone might hack Netflix to try to steal credit card numbers (although it's not nearly as easy as you all make it sound). Regardless, the question was why someone would hack Netflix to cancel an account. So far, haven't heard any plausible explanations for that. Canceling the account does nothing to benefit the hacker that I can see.

Maybe they just didn't like your "My List."