TikTok says its security workforce is addressing a problem that allowed hackers to compromise a number of high-profile celeb and model accounts on its video platform, together with these belonging to Paris Hilton, CNN and Sony. The ByteDance-owned video app maker didn’t present any details about the character of the assault or the corporate’s mitigation methods, as an alternative saying solely that it had taken measures to cease the assault and stop it from taking place sooner or later.
The malicious assault, as reported earlier by Semafor and Forbes, seems to have concerned malware transmitted via TikTok’s DMs (direct messages) and will have affected the account homeowners’ means to entry their TikTok profiles. The hacker’s objectives weren’t instantly clear, as not one of the affected accounts had begun to submit content material. In line with Semafor, CNN’s account was damaged into by a hacker final week, requiring the account to be taken down for a number of days. The information group mentioned it was working with TikTok on extra measures to make sure the account remained secure within the days forward, together with in the course of the U.S. presidential elections.
Reached for remark, TikTok declined to share extra particulars in regards to the nature of the assault or its countermeasures, in order to not “tip off” potential malicious actors.
“Our security workforce is conscious of a possible exploit focusing on quite a few high-profile accounts,” an organization spokesperson mentioned. “We have now taken measures to cease this assault and stop it from taking place sooner or later. We’re working straight with affected account homeowners to revive entry, if wanted.”
The assaults arrive at a time when TikTok’s affect within the U.S. is underneath query. Citing nationwide security issues, President Biden in April signed the invoice that may pressure TikTok’s Chinese language father or mother firm ByteDance to promote the app or be banned from working within the U.S. If ByteDance doesn’t promote, it can turn into unlawful for app shops to distribute TikTok when the legislation goes into impact.
TikTok has since sued the U.S. authorities over the legislation, which is able to tie up the case in courts for a lot of months to come back. Within the meantime, certainly one of TikTok’s earlier critics, Donald Trump — the primary president to attempt to ban the app within the U.S. — has now taken to the app to marketing campaign.
