TikTok fends off cyberattack targeting CNN, Paris Hilton
TikTok said it had taken steps to foil a cyberattack on Tuesday targeting some of the short video platform’s high profile accounts.
Image by Daniel Constante | Shutterstock
TikTok said it had taken steps to foil a cyberattack on Tuesday targeting some of the short video platform’s high-profile accounts – including CNN and Paris Hilton.
TikTok's communication director Jason Grosse confirmed the “potential exploit” in a statement sent to media outlets Tuesday afternoon.
“Our security team was recently alerted to malicious actors targeting CNN’s TikTok account,” said Grosse.
Apparently, the threat actor was discovered targeting prominent user accounts via TikTok’s direct message or DM feature, leaving some victims locked out of their accounts.
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Pop celebrity princess Paris Hilton was also said to be targeted in the attack, but TikTok said that the socialite's account had not been compromised.
TikTok said it was working with CNN and other unnamed account holders to restore their access and, according to the Associated Press, will add “enhanced security measures” to prevent future hacks.
“We are dedicated to maintaining the integrity of the platform and will continue to monitor for any further inauthentic activity,” Grosse said.
TikTok did not say what methods the attacker may have used and that it is still investigating. Currently, there are 170 million users of the Byte-Dance owned app in the US.