18 Cybersecurity and Hacker Movies and Series to Watch

The top 18 cybersecurity and hacker movies and series list is a curated selection by the Jscrambler team.

If you are in the mood for suspense, hearts pumping, and juicy fiction (that could be inspired by a true story), a good movie or TV show about hacking and cybersecurity never disappoints.

From gripping cybercrime stories to eternal classics and less-known gems, you will not regret spending a few afternoons with these thrilling movies and series. Dive into our selection of the best cybersecurity and hacker movies and series of all time!

1. WarGames (1983)

A young computer enthusiast unintentionally hacks into a military central computer. David provokes military mayhem at an international level.

WarGames are on the other side of how real-life hacking occurs. Instead of hyperbolizing the capabilities of a hacking attack, it portrays hacking as a simple black-and-green screen.

WarGames is a 1983 American techno-thriller film directed by John Badham. The cast includes names such as: 

• Mattew Broderick

• Ally Sheedy

• Dabney Coleman

• Barry Corbin

• Juanin Clay
  
  

WarGames official trailer

2. Sneakers (1992)

Computer hacker Martin is challenged to steal a powerful hacking tool and doesn’t know what to do. It’s a movie with turns and plot twists for the thriller lovers.

Directed by Phil Alden Robinson, Sneakers is a 1992 film full of puzzles, mind games, and moral dilemmas. The cast includes names such as: 

• Robert Redford

• Sidney Poitier

• River Phenix

• Dan Aykroyd

• Ben Kingsley

• David Strathairn
  
  

Sneakers official trailer

3. Hackers (1995)

Hackers became a cult classic over the years. The characters use hacking techniques to obtain what they need, from phishing to password cracking (a classic!) and network scanning.

The real-life hacking hyperbolizes the capabilities of a hacking attack through coding prodigies able to design enormous cyber-terrorist attacks.

Directed by Iain Softley, Hacker captures the early internet atmosphere and introduces the cyberpunk aesthetic. The cast includes names such as: 

• Angelina Jolie

• Jonny Lee Miller

• Matthew Lillard

• Renoly Santiago
  
  

Hackers official trailer

4. Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Motoko Kusanagi runs the Public Security Section 9 and leads the hunt for a well-known hacker named Puppet Master.

Ghost in the Shell is a cyberpunk anime based on the homonymous manga by Masamune Shirow.

Ghost in the Shell is a 1995 animated neo-noir cyberpunk thriller directed by Mamoru Oshii.

Ghost in the Shell official trailer

5. The Net (1995)

A computer programmer falls into the midst of a dangerous conspiracy by cybercriminals. The Net is a suspense thriller with strong emotions.

Directed by Irwin Winkler, The Net is a compelling story about how the Internet controls people's lives. The cast includes names such as: 

• Sandra Bullock

• Jeremy Northam

• Diane Maker

• Dennis Miller

• Margo Winkler
  
  

The Net official trailer

6. 23 (1998)

23 explores the pioneering beginning of many civilian hackers who started investigating the capabilities of new technological devices in the 1980s. This thriller is about Karl Koch, a real-life hacker who hacks the global data network, the previous version of the Internet. 

Karl Koch works for the KGB and defines the beginning of electronic espionage through computers rather than in persons by mysterious spies, such as 007 agents.

Directed by Hans-Christian Schmid, 23 is a 1998 thriller. The cast includes names such as: 

• August Diehl

• Fabian Busch

• Dieter Landuris
  
  

23 official trailer

7. The Matrix (1999)

The Matrix is an action-packed hacker movie that transcends reality.

The hacking in the Matrix movie comes in binary code displayed on a screen.  The translation occurs into intricately choreographed action sequences with astonishing special effects.

The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction action film directed by the Wachowskis. The cast includes names such as: 

• Keanu Reeves

• Carrie-Anne Moss

• Gloria Foster

• Marcus Chong
  
  

The Matrix official trailer

8. Swordfish (2001)

Swordfish is about how computer cracker Stanley joins one of the many heists to make billions of dollars from unused government funds. The coding in this popcorn movie is visually appealing and looks authentic. 

Directed by Dominic Sena, Swordfish is a 2001 American action techno-thriller. The cast includes names such as: 

• John Travolta

• Hugh Jackman
  
  

Swordfish official trailer

9. Inception (2010)

Dom Cobb can penetrate people’s dreams to steal secrets from them. Inception is about his mission to implant an idea in businessman Robert Michael Fischer. It is a different type of hacking, where hackers hack into people’s dreams to access their brains instead of taking secrets.

Inception is a 2010 science fiction action film written and directed by Christopher Nolan. The cast includes names such as: 

• Leonardo DiCaprio

• Joseph Gordon-Levitt

• Cillian Murphy

• Tom Hardy

• Elliot Page

• Marion Cotillard
  
  

“A one-of-a-kind mind-blowing masterpiece!” adrien_ngoc_170, 11 March 2019.
Source: IMDb reviews.

Inception official trailer

10. The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo (2011)

Based on the homonymous novel by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo shows a more authentic portrayal of hackers and hacking abilities mixed with cyberpunk elements.

Lisbeth Salander is a security expert and skilled hacker with an obscure past.

The Vanger family is investigating the disappearance of a family member. It is the perfect formula for a movie full of plot twists.

It was directed by David Fincher with a screenplay by Steven Zaillian. The cast includes names such as: 

• Rooney Mara

• Daniel Craig

• Robin Wright

• Stellan Skarsgård

• Christopher Plummer
  
  

The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo official trailer

11. Open Windows (2014)

Open Windows is a creative technological movie. When Jill’s cellphone is hacked, the hacker can remotely turn on its camera and microphone.

Open Windows is a 2014 found footage techno-thriller directed by Nacho Vigalondo. The cast includes names such as: 

• Elijah Wood

• Sasha Grey

• Nacho Vigalondo
  
  

Open Windows official trailer

12. Who Am I (2014)

Benjamin aims to make a name for himself in the hacker community. To achieve this, Benjamin joins a group of tech masters to form a hacker group with one mission: to become the best of the best.

Who Am I is a techno-triller about a German hacker full of tech scenes directed by Baran Bo Odar. The cast includes names such as:

• Tom Schilling 

• Elyas M’Barek

• Wotan Wilke Möhring

• Trine Dyrholm
  
  

Who Am I official trailer

13. The Signal (2014)

The Signal puts the hacking theme into a scenario of three sets: thriller, science fiction, and arthouse. 

Hacking is not the theme, but it is significant because it shows the students' ability to counterattack the hacker by tracking down his position. Directed by William Eubank, The Signal’s cast includes names such as: 

• Laurence Fishburne

• Brenton Thwaites

• Olivia Cooke

• Beau Knapp
  
  

The Signal official trailer

14. Blackhat (2015)

Nick Hathaway is the hacker helping his American and Chinese counterparts hunt down a cyber-terrorist crime organization across the globe.

Backhat thrills its audience with real-world applicable fears. The spotlight is on the cyber-connectivity of the world and its risks and vulnerabilities.

Blackhat is a 2015 American action thriller film produced and directed by Michael Mann. The cast includes names such as:

• Chris Hemsworth

• Tang Wei

• Viola Davis

• Wang Leehom
  
  

Blackhat official trailer

15. Mr. Robot (2015-2019)

Cinematic and creative, Mr. Robot is a stand-out series with top-quality performances. Elliot is a cyber-security company programmer by day and a vigilante hacker by night.

Available on Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu, Prime Video, and Netflix in some countries.

All episodes were directed by Sam Esmail. The cast includes names such as:

• Rami Malek

• Portia Doubleday

• Carly Chaikin

• Christian Slater
  
  

“Now that it's over, I am confident in giving it a 10”. DrunkenDeGroot, 26 December 2019.

Source: IMDb reviews

Mr. Robot official trailer (season 1)

16. Anon (2018)

Anon's action happens in a futuristic society where privacy doesn’t exist.

The hacking elements are relevant to show the importance of private citizens’ data to control society and increase power. The cyber attacks target the eyesight of individuals rather than their devices.

Anon is a 2018 British-American science fiction thriller directed by Andrew Niccol. The cast includes names such as:

• Clive Owen

• Amanda Seyfried

• Colm Feore

• Iddo Goldberg
  
  

Anon official trailer

17. The Billion-Dollar Code (2021-ongoing)

The introduction of the World Wide Web brought together digital artists and Berlin hackers in the 1990s, but fast-forward to 2014. Two cutting-edge pioneers are in court with a US tech giant over the Google Earth algorithm. It’s a tale of raves, techno, and a quirky take on the patent dispute between Terravision and Google.

Available on Netflix. The cast includes names such as:

• Marius Ahrendt

• Leonard Scheicher

• Seumas Sargent

• Lavinia Wilson
  
  

The Billion-Dollar Code official trailer

18. Reality (2023)

An American ex-intelligence specialist has received the lengthiest sentence for disclosing government information to the media without authorization.

The information released concerned Russian interference in the 2016 US elections, and this is the motto for a crime drama film based on an FBI interrogation.

Reality is a 2023 American crime drama directed by Tina Satter. The cast includes names such as:

• Sydney Sweeney

• Josh Hamilton

• Marchánt Davis

• Benny Elledge
  
  

The Reality official trailer

3 Notorious Real-life Hackers

1. Kevin Mitnick

Throughout his hacking career, Mitnick never exploited the access and data he obtained. It is believed that Kevin’s goal was to control Pacific Bell's network to prove it could be done.

2. Anonymous

Anonymous hacking actions are rooted in the concept of social justice. It started in 2003 on 4chan message boards.

3. Adrian Lamo

Lamo used to hack systems and notify the press and his victims. Sometimes, he would help clean up the mess to improve their security.

Hackers are a Real Cyber Threat to Business Security

Hackers can cause financial and reputational damages in several ways by exploiting business security vulnerabilities, from customers no longer trusting the business to losing competitive advantages.

The most common cyber threats today are

• Phishing attacks.

• Malware attacks

• SQL injection attacks

• Denial of service attacks

• Insider threats
  
  

Overall, cybercriminals look for access to information and data on businesses, employees, and customers. They might do this by

• Unauthorized access to hardware, computers, and mobile devices.

• Infecting computers with malware.

• Attacking technology or websites.

• Attacking third-party systems.

• Gaining access to information through customers or employees.