Kaspersky says it has "identified more than 7 million compromised accounts" linked to streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video over the past year. As the Russian company points out, these accounts were hacked using stolen credentials.
These credentials were not stolen directly from the streaming services. The credentials were stolen as part of large-scale information theft campaigns. Cybercriminals may have used phishing sites or malware, such as infostealers. Widely used by hackers, these viruses are programmed to exfiltrate information from their victims' devices. To spread viruses, hackers also use popular content, such as Japanese anime or movies, as bait. Cybercriminals then slip the malware into a file that masquerades as a movie or TV show available for download.
Last year, around ten million devices were affected by infostealers worldwide, according to estimates from a previous Kaspersky report. This type of infection has seen a spectacular increase of 643% in just three years. They are also behind one of the biggest hacks of 2024. Of course, malware doesn't just collect streaming app credentials. In the process, it will steal "sensitive data—account credentials, cookies, credit card details." In short, the consequences can be catastrophic.
Netflix, the number one target for hackers
Unsurprisingly, it was Netflix that was the target of cybercriminals. Despite the emergence of a horde of eager competitors, Netflix remained the most popular VOD service in the world, with 302 million paying subscribers. It is therefore logical that Netflix is also the service most targeted by hackers. Last year, 5,632,694 compromised Netflix accounts were detected by Kaspersky researchers.
In second place is Disney+ with 680,850 compromised accounts over the past year, followed by Amazon Prime Video, with only 1,607 hacked accounts. Note that France is one of the countries most affected by Prime Video account leaks, just behind Mexico and Brazil.
How to protect your Netflix, Disney+, or Prime Video account?
To prevent your Netflix, Disney+, or Prime Video account from being compromised, it's important to choose a strong password. Choose a complex password, consisting of a sequence of at least 12 characters, mixing numbers, letters, and symbols. Change this password once a year as a precaution.
Don't make the mistake of recycling your passwords. This disastrous practice makes life much easier for cybercriminals. Above all, don't recycle the password you shared with a friend to give them access to your account. According to a study by All About Cookies, half of account sharers don't hesitate to use a password shared with others to secure other online accounts. It is imperative to choose a password for each account. To avoid forgetting it, use a password manager.
But, as Kaspersky points out, "protecting your streaming account is no longer limited to passwords." It is also important to "avoid dubious downloads and remain vigilant about the links you click on.".
Source: Kaspersky
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