Technology

Hackers Launch Identity Theft Attack on Netflix Subscribers

Paul Ausick

Published: November 6, 2017 10:15 am

Last Updated: April 27, 2020 10:44 pm

An email scam detected last Friday has targeted some 110 million Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) subscribers who are told that their accounts have been suspended and that they need to re-enter their account details in order to continue their subscriptions.

According to security firm Mailguard, if recipients click the link in the email, they are directed to a fake Netflix page asking them to login and provide their personal information, including credit card details. The fake site is a very good representation of a genuine message from Netflix, which makes it doubly important that people be extremely cautious about providing the requested information.

Using the personal information gathered by the fake site, the cybercriminals could steal a user’s identity and gain access to credit card and even bank accounts.

This screen shot from Mailguard shows what you are likely to see if you click on the link in the email.

Source: Mailguard

Mailguard offers these tips to help users detect the real source and purpose of an email:

• Always hover your mouse over links within emails and check the domain they’re pointing to. If they look suspicious or unfamiliar don’t open them.
• Cybersecurity threats take many different forms from simple spyware downloads to sophisticated ransomware attacks. Your business can be exposed to a wide variety of different vectors: through peripherals; USB devices; networks; attachments; etc. Security best practice recommends a layered defence strategy to protect users against web threats and malware.
• 9 out of 10 cyber-attacks are delivered via email, so it’s essential to have the best email filtering in place to protect your systems.
• Keep up to date on the latest scams.

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