Netflix accounts likely belonging to someone else are now being offered by hackers with lifetime access just for $0.50, says a report from Tech Insider. In a recent report, McAfee Labs recently revealed that it is possible for people to buy access to several online streaming services, including Netflix and Spotify, on ‘Dark Web’ marketplaces.
Hacked accounts with guarantee
McAfee Labs noted that there is a special internet browser called TOR that is used for gaining access to these marketplaces as it hides the IP address of users. The security firm also revealed that the hackers are selling access to stolen HBO GO, HBO NOW accounts and other cable streaming services for less than $10 while the cost of premium pro sports services has been fixed at about $15.
Although you might think that access to another person’s Netflix account would be shut down fairly quickly, this is not necessarily the case. Tech Insider found out from Intel Security CTO Raj Samani that these marketplaces are highly competitive for sellers, and some of them even provide a guarantee to buyers that they will have a lifetime subscription.
“I don’t want to call it a risk-free transaction but they try to make it as risk-free as they possibly can,” Samani told Tech Insider. There is even a help desk at one of the marketplaces. There are chances that these accounts are based on both stolen credit card information and account information, said Samani.
Tim Stenovec of Tech Insider checked the prices himself, and found that the Netflix accounts with lifetime access were available for $0.50 while Spotify could be had for $1.95.
Netflix, Amazon 4k content exclusivity at risk
Hackers are also a threat to streaming services when it comes to pirating their exclusive content. Both the leading streaming service providers, Netflix and Amazon, stand the risk of losing their 4K content exclusivity to pirates.
The existence of 4K resolution rips was almost negligible until now, but recent new releases from various groups suggest that pirates have succeeded at finding a loophole to access 4K movies and TV shows at both Netflix and Amazon, according to a report from TorrentFreak.
“Many groups started releasing 4k rips recently and they are working perfectly. I expect that 4k resolution releases will become more popular now,” one of release group insider told TorrentFreak.
