Delete this messaging app now! Your photos are at risk
(Updated Dec. 1, 2020 – Despite the app developer working on a fix for this security flaw for over two weeks, the app is still putting users’ personal messages at risk of exposure. We highly recommend deleting this app if it’s on your device.)
Data leaks are bad enough, but it officially becomes a security nightmare when one affects hundreds of millions of users.
Earlier this year, an unsecured server belonging to Microsoft exposed the data of more than 250 million users. This included email addresses that hackers and scammers could use for criminal activities. Tap or click here to see how this leak unfolded.
A new data leak affects more than 100 million people who installed one of the most popular messaging apps around. Anyone who exchanged files on the app may have accidentally exposed their private data without knowing it.
Millions of GO SMS Pro users had their photos and files exposed
GO SMS Pro is one of Android’s most popular messaging apps — with more than 100 million installations according to its Google Play listing.
RELATED: Millions of records from free streaming service leaked on Dark Web
Researchers at Trustwave recently discovered a security flaw that allowed photos and files exchanged on GO SMS Pro to be publicly exposed.
In a new report, the researchers outlined the flaw and informed the app’s developer of their findings. When a user sends a file to someone without the app installed, the app uploads the file to its servers and shares a web address for the recipient to click on. Unfortunately, the web addresses shared by the app were numbered sequentially and easy to predict.
An intelligent hacker or cybercriminal could guess an attachment URL and see its contents with enough time.
Trustwave shared its findings with TechCrunch, which tested and confirmed the flaws themselves. They were able to view private images like a screenshot with bank information, an order confirmation with a home address and an arrest record.
As with most security flaw discoveries, Trustwave gave the app’s developer 90 days to come up with a fix. Time expired without a peep from the developers, which is why Trustwave went public with what it found.
Credit card info of millions of guests leaked in travel site data breach
If you’ve traveled any time since 2013, it might be time to check your bank accounts. Three of the web’s biggest travel sites have leaked personal and financial data for millions of users, including payment card details.
Whoops! Social networking app that promises privacy exposed private messages
Data security is one of the most important aspects of any social network. Without it, personal data like names, phone numbers and email addresses can easily leak online. And when this data leaks, you can bet scammers and hackers will make the most of it.
iPhone 12 rumor: 'Spy camera' will let you zoom 30x to see things miles away
Are you patiently waiting for the new iPhone 12 unveiling? The big reveal was delayed this year due to COVID-19, but we’re finally going to get a peek at that new iPhone this week.
The iPhone 12 reveal wasn’t the only delay, though. Apple’s annual fall event was pushed back earlier this year, too — and along with it, the unveiling of new iPads and Apple Watches. Did you miss the Apple fall event? Tap or click here to see new watches, iPads, and everything else that was announced.
Hackers take over social media accounts to steal $4 million - Keep yours safe
Facebook is no stranger to malicious activity happening on its watch. From Cambridge Analytica to under-the-table data sales, there are plenty of examples of Facebook putting profits before security.
In fact, there is plenty of reason to believe that Facebook can and will sell your data again. Tap or click here to see how to stop Facebook from tracking you all over the web.
FBI warning: Don't believe everything you hear about this year's election
Election Day is drawing closer, and Americans from all corners of the country are ready to cast their votes and decide who represents us at the highest levels of government.
Back in 2016, we witnessed social media and technology play a bigger role than ever before. And this time around, election watchers are paying closer attention to how ads and influence campaigns play a role in voter behavior. Tap or click here to see how political ads have changed in 2020.
Security alert: 100 million search engine records revealed online
Admit it: All of us have items in our search history that we aren’t proud of. Whether you’re looking up obvious information that everyone should know or gross medical symptoms, there’s a reason we try to keep our search history private from others. It’s our personal business, after all.
Massive leak exposes millions of social media profiles - here's what to do
Data breaches and leaks are never fun — especially when they affect a platform you frequently use. Usually, the most dangerous targets are e-commerce due to the fact that they include payment information. But the other most difficult breaches to contain involve social media platforms — all the personal data they contain.
Don’t buy a new iPhone yet! Here's what's coming if you wait
Just because a pandemic is going on doesn’t mean that the tech giants like Apple aren’t doing anything. In fact, beyond Apple’s recent updates to iOS 13 and its reveals at WWDC, there are rumors that Apple has much bigger plans in store for users during the tail-end of 2020.
7 VPNs caught leaking user data - see the list
People depend on VPNs to provide a safe and private browsing experience without intrusive tracking. So when word gets out that a popular VPN service experienced a data leak, the privacy-minded among us get a sinking feeling in our collective guts.
140 million hotel guest records exposed - see if your data is for sale
Las Vegas is home to some of the world’s most spectacular hotels and attractions, and staying on the Strip can sometimes fetch a hefty price. So what happens when a data breach hits one of these luxury destinations and spills the personal details of its high-rolling guests?
Data breach alert: Unemployment applicants at risk for identity theft
COVID-19 may decimate the health of at-risk patients, but those of us who aren’t getting sick are still feeling the economic sting of the deadly virus. Since March, more than 30 million jobs have been lost in the U.S., leaving many Americans to rely on unemployment benefits to make ends meet.
Adult streaming website leaks 11 million emails and private chats
Keeping sensitive information secure is getting more difficult by the minute, especially during this pandemic. That’s because cybercriminals are constantly on the attack, adding high tech tools to their arsenal that help them spoof websites, create impressive phishing emails and hack into websites to steal data.
Are your logins secure? Use this password checker to find out
Is your password actually safe? The sheer number of data breaches and leaks have made it all too likely that your password is floating around somewhere on the internet — just waiting to be accessed by an ambitious hacker.
App exposes 44 million user records: Driver's licenses, credit cards, medical info
Digital safety is what we’re all about here at Komando.com. That’s why we always recommend users back up their digital data and use secure apps to store important logins and membership info.
Unfortunately, not all apps are created equal. Some programs offer a plethora of useful features but they’re weak when it comes to cybersecurity. Tap or click to see how a home security camera app leaked millions of people’s personal data.
iPhone update could be a lifesaver if you still use an older model
Like clockwork, Apple iPhones get a major update each year with the release of the latest version of iOS. These come with security and software improvements, as well as new features and that trend continued with last fall’s release of iOS 13.
Google Photos may have shared your private videos with a stranger
Data breaches and leaks seem to be happening more often these days. In most breaches, you need to worry about sensitive information getting stolen and sold on the Dark Web to people who will use it for identity theft.
Microsoft security breach: 250 million user records exposed
Imagine checking your email and getting a message saying your account has been hacked. You never contacted the sender, have no idea what they’re talking about and don’t know why your account would be compromised. Yet somehow, the email arrived — which points to one probable cause: your address was leaked.
617 million stolen accounts from 16 websites are now up for sale - are you at risk?
The year 2019 has not been a great one for cybersecurity. We have seen multiple breaches that have resulted in the personal information of millions of people being sold on the dark web. Well, unfortunately, it’s happened again. This time, it’s impacting over half a billion people.