In September 2022, reports revealed that the Chinese social media platform TikTok had suffered a “potential” data breach that exposed the information of over 2 billion users. Various cybersecurity organisations issued multiple warnings, but users themselves did not receive the message for some time. As investigations progressed, investigators discovered that TikTok stored user data on the Alibaba Cloud while using a very weak password for access. This behaviour did not reflect that of a high-tech company. TikTok responded by stating that the incident did not involve their “source code,” yet they gave no assurance regarding the user information. As with all online platforms today, users must take extra precautions to safeguard their data.
The Microsoft 365 Defender Research Team discovered one of TikTok’s vulnerabilities. While reviewing the Android app, the team identified that hackers could steal private short-form videos by exploiting a malicious link clicked by users. This flaw enabled attackers to compromise millions of accounts with a single click. Although TikTok claimed to have “fixed” the issue, no one knows how many users had already been affected.
Common Methods
One of the most common methods of hacking is a term called “credential stuffing.” Once a hacker has achieved access to a specific website or network, they download the user passwords. Since many people seem to use the same passwords for multiple platforms they simply continue to hit other websites with the same login and passwords until they achieve a success. There are products such as Lifelock that users can sign up for that monitors this kind of activity and will alert the user when unannounced breaches occur or their logins/passwords appear on the dark web. There are also professional companies such as DaVinci Cybersecurity that can examine and advise changes. These services will help to keep devices safe and prevent TikTok Hacking.
Protecting your devices and accounts such as TikTok and others really requires that users be a lot more proactive than they have historically been. Hackers are becoming more sophisticated with higher tech access and they rely on users being rather lax with their security. Cybersecurity organisations recommend that all users change their passwords on TikTok and add/enable the two-factor authentication. These actions are also a good idea for any other websites and platforms that they use that share similar logins and passwords. While it might seem to be a hassle, these can be the easiest steps to take to assist in protecting your personal data and your accounts.
Additional actions that users can take include:
- Use a strong password that includes letters, numbers, and special characters.
- Change your password regularly.
- Do not click on links sent by unknown individuals.
- Avoid acting on offers that appear “too good to be true.”
- Remove any unwanted or additional devices linked to your account.
- Remove third-party apps linked to your account by going to “Security and Login Options” in the settings and selecting “Manage App Permissions.”
- Protect yourself from scams by never sharing personal information with anyone making offers or promises.
Sources
https://www.spikerz.com/blog/8-ways-to-protect-your-tiktok-account-from-hackers
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/tiktok-hacked-over-2-bn-user-database-records-stolen-security-researchers/articleshow/94025608.cms
https://www.spikerz.com/blog/8-ways-to-protect-your-tiktok-account-from-hackers
www.tiktok.com/@malwaretech/video/7079489673994800430
