TikTok Hack: Exposing 2 Billion Users Data to Malicious Breach
The world’s most famous and beloved short-video application TikTok has been reportedly hacked with the hacker disclosing that an estimate of almost two billion users’ data being stolen, supported by the reveal of the source code.
The alleged hack news started circulating on a popular hacking forum over the past few days, with hackers claiming to have found a way to exploit an insecure server that houses the personal information of TikTok users.
The hackers, who go by the name “AgainstTheWest,” shared a dump of what they claim to be source code and TikTok users’ data on the forum. They claim that they have found an unsecured server with 790GB of data and 2 billion records: user data, statistics, source code, and much more.
Around the same time as the alleged hack, a security alert from Microsoft warned of a high-security vulnerability on the TikTok app. A factor that might have allowed the hackers to infiltrate user accounts.
The cyber infiltrator claims to have gained access to around 34GB of TikTok users’ data, threatening to sell or release them to the public.
Tiktok was quick to deny such claims. The so-called “against the west” hacking group stated that they found info on the Chinese WeChat app and proceeded to hack TikTok and allegedly expose its user data and source code. Tiktok denied such bold statements completely, announcing that they did find any breaches.
“This is your forewarning. #TikTok has reportedly suffered a #data #breach, and if true there may be fallout from it in the coming days. We recommend you change your TikTok #password and enable Two-Factor Authentication, if you have not done so already,” tweeted BeeHive CyberSecurity.
“We’ve reviewed a sample of the extracted data. To our email subscribers and private clients, we’ve already sent out warning communications,” it added.
Additionally, TikTok refuted the link between the Microsoft alert and the possibility of a vulnerability. They added that it is entirely unrelated to the source code, and there are yet to find any breaches or “weak” servers.
Moreover, no clear evidence of account passwords has been found. The TikTok statements appear to hold up as truth. Various experts covering the news stated that nothing is factual, and they are still bold claims. Cautious users can still change their passwords and be sure to have two-factor authentication activated so they can have an extra layer of protection.
Finally, the news can’t be confirmed yet. The info out from the hackers’ side still counts as inconclusive. Titok was vocal about denying the hack, ensuring that the user data and source code were safe and sound. Until further notice, stay informed and consider changing your password if you are a TikTok user.
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