3 ms·

Any ideas on what technical means Netflix is using to tip the scales in their favor?

by pixld 10y ago

chrisfosterelli 10y ago
I can't speak on this with any authority, but I feel like it would be fairly easy to detect. If you suddenly see 500 different accounts all connecting from the same small block of IP addresses and most of them use out-of-country credit cards, blocking that IP range would be a logical conclusion. This could be managed automatically (or at least alerted to a human to check) with not much effort.
- gnicholas 10y ago
  Actually, it's even easier than this: they just make a list of accounts that have connected via a border-hopping service, then block that service, and then see where the listed accounts connect through. Since the accounts themselves can be flagged, Netflix will always have the advantage in detecting new workarounds.
dogma1138 10y ago
Blacklisting all IP ranges that are not residential/commercial ISP. I can't access Netflix from a U.K. data center connection even tho I have a U.K. account because it detects it as a non residential IP address.
subliminalpanda 10y ago
Perhaps even looking at credit card billing addresses or issuing banks maybe, if they're non US based and service is being accessed by a US IP address could raise a flag? Just my speculation.
biot 10y ago
I'm sure there are some wonderful technical solutions involving statistical analysis, measuring velocity (user connects from country A, then 10 minutes later connects from country B; flag the IP address), and so on. But there's a much simpler solution with no chance of a false positive [0]: Netflix spends a few dollars signing up for each advertised VPN service, then they instantly block any IP address that the VPN service attempts to route them through. [0] As long as legitimate Netflix customers aren't sharing their connection with the VPN provider.

3 ms·

Any ideas on what technical means Netflix is using to tip the scales in their favor?

by pixld 10y ago

Any ideas on what technical means Netflix is using to tip the scales in their favor?

chrisfosterelli 10y ago
I can't speak on this with any authority, but I feel like it would be fairly easy to detect. If you suddenly see 500 different accounts all connecting from the same small block of IP addresses and most of them use out-of-country credit cards, blocking that IP range would be a logical conclusion. This could be managed automatically (or at least alerted to a human to check) with not much effort.
- gnicholas 10y ago
  Actually, it's even easier than this: they just make a list of accounts that have connected via a border-hopping service, then block that service, and then see where the listed accounts connect through. Since the accounts themselves can be flagged, Netflix will always have the advantage in detecting new workarounds.
dogma1138 10y ago
Blacklisting all IP ranges that are not residential/commercial ISP. I can't access Netflix from a U.K. data center connection even tho I have a U.K. account because it detects it as a non residential IP address.
subliminalpanda 10y ago
Perhaps even looking at credit card billing addresses or issuing banks maybe, if they're non US based and service is being accessed by a US IP address could raise a flag? Just my speculation.
biot 10y ago
I'm sure there are some wonderful technical solutions involving statistical analysis, measuring velocity (user connects from country A, then 10 minutes later connects from country B; flag the IP address), and so on. But there's a much simpler solution with no chance of a false positive [0]: Netflix spends a few dollars signing up for each advertised VPN service, then they instantly block any IP address that the VPN service attempts to route them through. [0] As long as legitimate Netflix customers aren't sharing their connection with the VPN provider.