NETFLIX users should be on high alert for signs of a digital break-in.
The brand plans to crack down on password sharing but some hackers are only emboldened by new policies.
1
The Netflix home screen is adorned with cute icons for each streamer in a given household.
Netflix allows users to have up to five individual profiles on an account.
If your family has fewer than five open profiles and a new icon appears, that can be a dead giveaway for unapproved activity on happening on your account.
CNET advises that if you notice a new, sketchy profile you should delete it and reset your password – note that you’ll need to use a computer or smartphone to do so.
Next, you’ll want to check your Netflix account’s IP history and geolocation – what devices are streaming from your account and from where?
Sign into your Netflix account on a desktop or smartphone and click the icon in the upper right corner to go to your Account page.
Under the Settings tab, click “Recent device streaming activity”.
If you notice activity from an area no one in your household has streamed from, promptly reset your password.
CNET highlighted getting clever with your password as “Password1” just won’t protect an account anymore.
Most read in Tech
Lastly, you’re going to want to review your billing statement and confirm you still have the subscription plan you signed up for.
The Standard tier of Netflix costs $15.50 a month.
If you’ve been charged $20 a month, that very well could mean an outsider upgraded the service at your expense.
For a matter with this much nuance, you’ll have to involve Netflix directly – notify the company of the hack and reset your security information.
Netflix’s brand has taken a dent in 2022 – they reported lost subscribers for the first time in a decade and the stock price is down over 70% since this time last year.
Counterintuitively, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings was one of the best-compensated executives in the world last year with a $450million dollar paycheck.
