A Hack into Timehop Reveals Data Seized off Innumerable User Accounts

A Facebook app called Timehop resurfaces long time created posts and photographs on the website. This particular app, on July 8, revealed a hack which had apparently hijacked millions of Facebook members' personal information. An initial investigation shows how the attackers seized approximately 21m names along with e-mail ids from Timehop when it was targeted 4th July.

Besides e-mail addresses and names, the hack also stole approximately 4.7m phone numbers. Furthermore according to the company, although Facebook put a dent into the hacking process, still there was hijacking of data.

The company elaborated that the cyber thugs could've gone ahead with their attack through interception of "access tokens" from Timehop that let the application to establish a connection with social networking websites. Stating emphatically Facebook indicated there was little clue about, while no confirmed news about illegitimate admission into user data via utilization of the said access tokens. From that time on, Facebook disabled all the tokens. Usatoday.com posted this, July 9, 2018.

Facebook states that the intruders couldn't access any posts on the social media. That includes all data that intermediate entities provided once users might've connected them with Timehop. These intermediate entities are Twitter, Instagram, Dropbox, Google Photos and others. Nevertheless, potential risks prevail if mobile numbers are divulged. During earlier assaults hackers navigated mobile numbers into the accounts they owned so they could acquire dual-factor authentication messages that were usable for reaching other accounts, notably Internet based banking services. If users logged in with their mobile numbers instead of usernames then those numbers would go to the hackers.

Timehop has proved extremely useful as nobody can directly access any memorable ancient posts on the social media. However, hackers managed stealing tokens which provide indirect admission into someone's social media A/C, albeit such tokens are since no longer active. At present, Timehop is engaged in joint work with enforcement officials of the locality as well as federation for investigating the security hack.

Importantly, the attack's impact got diluted thanks to Timehop. Facebook writes the damage couldn't be much as it's long committed towards solely utilizing the information it absolutely requires for rendering its service.

» SPAMfighter News - 7/18/2018