3 min read
A hacker has claimed that they were able to get user data from TikTok. However, the firm has stated that they have discovered no proof that a data breach occurred.
According to the hacker known as AgainstTheWest, who goes by the moniker AgainstTheWest, they were able to acquire access to the personal information of more than one billion TikTok members, including individuals’ PayPal information.
AgainstTheWest’s hacking claims have been deemed “trustworthy” by BeeHive Cybersecurity, a cybersecurity research firm, according to a direct message sent to Insider by the company. BeeHive Cybersecurity also stated that the hacker had earned respect within the community of cybersecurity professionals.
On the other hand, there has been some resistance to the idea that the breach is, in fact, authentic.
BreachForums, the platform for breach detection where AgainstTheWest made the original disclosure of the breach, had a moderator who stated that AgainstTheWest has “a lengthy history of lying about breaches and other things.”
Nevertheless, it appears that TikTok agrees that data leak reports are untrue.
A spokeswoman for TikTok claimed the following in a statement provided to Insider:
“Our security team has not identified any indication that there has been a compromise in security. It has been established beyond a reasonable doubt that the data samples in question are all available to the general public and are not the result of a breach in any of TikTok’s systems, networks, or databases. The samples also appear to include data from one or more independent third-party sources that are not linked with TikTok. We continue to be devoted to the health and safety of our worldwide community, despite the fact that we do not feel users are required to take any preventative measures.”
BeeHive CyberSecurity tweeted a recommendation to TikTok users to change their passwords and set up two-factor authentication to secure their data. This recommendation comes even though TikTok has said that users do not need to take any proactive action.
The alleged data leak occurred when TikTok was under severe scrutiny about its cybersecurity practices. A security researcher found code in the social media app that allows TikTok to track users’ keystrokes, including passwords and credit card numbers. As a result, the app has been accused of spying on users for its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, and this accusation came about a month after the researcher discovered the code. TikTok has stated that it does not spy on its users or provide any information about its users to the Chinese authorities.
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