This messaging app was leaking customer voice data. Is it on your phone?
In addition to remaining in contact with friends and family on social media, some apps let you send voice messages without racking up fees. But it turns out that one of these apps isn’t as secure as initially thought.
Read on to see how this voice recording application leaked recordings and what you can do about it.
Android app in Google Play Store putting your data at risk
Even though you can record and send voice messages through apps like WhatsApp, many people prefer other options. One is OyeTalk, available on the Google Play Store for Android devices.
According to Cybernews, the app uses Google’s Firebase development tool, which stores voice messages on a cloud-based server. It turns out that this server wasn’t password-protected, leaving the door wide open for anybody to listen in.
Additionally, “If the data leaked had not been backed up and a malicious actor had chosen to delete the dataset, it is possible that the user’s private messages would have been permanently lost without the possibility of recovery,” researchers at Cybernews explain.
In theory, due to the lack of security measures, a hacker could:
- Access your chats.
- See usernames.
- Identify your mobile device’s International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number.
The developers also opted to store sensitive information about users’ mobile phones, such as the Google API key and links to Google storage buckets. By following the links, a hacker could access various unsecured voice messages.
Delete this app ASAP
After the discovery, researchers sent a note to OyeTalk’s developers, but they failed to close public access to the database. Eventually, Google’s security measures kicked in and plugged the gaps.
If you are concerned about privacy and personal data, you must immediately remove the app from your Android device. Here’s how to thoroughly remove apps on Android and Apple devices.
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