Snapchat Updates Security After Breach

Company Apologizes for Incident That Affected 4.6 Million
Snapchat Updates Security After Breach

Snapchat, a photo messaging application, has implemented several security improvements and has apologized for the breach that recently affected 4.6 million of its users.

See Also: Why Active Directory (AD) Protection Matters

"This morning we released a Snapchat update for Android and iOS that improves Find Friends functionality and allows Snapchatters to opt-out of linking their phone number with their username," the company said in a blog post issued Jan. 9.

"Our team continues to make improvements to the Snapchat service to prevent future attempts to abuse our API," Snapchat says. "We are sorry for any problems this issue may have caused you and we really appreciate your patience and support."

The security improvements came days after a group of hackers who used the name SnapchatDB claimed to have compromised usernames and phone numbers of as many as 4.6 million users (see: Snapchat Breach Leads Roundup).

SnapchatDB says it downloaded the information using an exploit in Snapchat and then posted it to a website called SnapchatDB.info, according to the Washington Post. The site has since been suspended.

Security Report Identified Vulnerabilities

Before the hack by SnapchatDB, a security group called Gibson Security issued a report on Dec. 25 that highlighted a Snapchat vulnerability that could enable an attack involving compiling a database of Snapchat usernames and phone numbers.

Snapchat made reference to this report on Dec. 27 in a blog it issued on its website, stating that it was, indeed, possible for someone to compile such a database.

Users concerned as to whether their information was compromised can use a look-up tool that Gibson Security has created.


About the Author

Jeffrey Roman

Jeffrey Roman

News Writer, ISMG

Roman is the former News Writer for Information Security Media Group. Having worked for multiple publications at The College of New Jersey, including the College's newspaper "The Signal" and alumni magazine, Roman has experience in journalism, copy editing and communications.




Around the Network

Our website uses cookies. Cookies enable us to provide the best experience possible and help us understand how visitors use our website. By browsing databreachtoday.com, you agree to our use of cookies.