TikTok hack compromised CNN account; Paris Hilton and others targeted

A TikTok hack allowed attackers to take control of CNN’s account, while other high-profile accounts were also targeted.

The nature of the security breach remains a mystery at present. It was said to have involved direct messaging, but was seemingly not a phishing attack …

TikTok hackers gain access to CNN’s account

Yahoo reports that the account of Paris Hilton was among those targeted, but that the attacker did not succeed in gaining control of that one.

It’s currently unknown how many other accounts were breached, one report stating that only one other account was accessed, while TikTok owner Bytedance referred only to “affected account owners” without naming them or stating how many were affected.

On Tuesday night, TikTok told the Associated Press (AP) that the attack had taken place through its direct messaging (DM) feature, but did not share further details on how it was carried out.

A spokesperson for the social media giant told AP that its security team had been recently alerted to “malicious actors targeting CNN’s TikTok account” and the tech firm was working with CNN to restore access and add “enhanced security measures” to protect it […]

In a further statement to the PA news agency on Wednesday, a TikTok spokesperson said: “Our security team is aware of a potential exploit targeting a number of high-profile accounts.

“We have taken measures to stop this attack and prevent it from happening in the future.

“We’re working directly with affected account owners to restore access, if needed.”

While using direct messaging would normally point to a phishing attack, where someone with legitimate access to the account is tricked into revealing login credentials, a paywalled report on Semafor appears suggests this is not the case. It states that the breach “does not appear to be the result of someone gaining access from CNN’s end.”

App’s future in the US remains uncertain

The future of the app in the US remains unclear,

Back in March, the House voted overwhelmingly to either ban TikTok from the US, or to force the sale of the app to an American-owned company. The Senate went with the forced sale option, and President Biden signed off on the bill.

TikTok is claiming that the action is unconstitutional, and suing the US government in order to get the decision ruled illegal.A number of TikTok creators have filed their own lawsuit. The official lawsuit has been fast-tracked to enable it to be heard before the deadline.

A number of US investors plan to mount bids for control of the app, though seem resigned to the fact that it will not include the algorithm which drives its success. One possibility is a US-specific version of the algorithm.

Photo by 卡晨 on Unsplash