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2014 Snapchat hack

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2014 Snapchat hack
File:Snapchat logo.png
Snapchat logo
DateJanuary 1, 2014 (2014-01-01)
LocationGlobally
CauseHack
OutcomeApproximately 4.6 million usernames and phone numbers leaked
Websitehttp://snapchat.com/

Snapchat, a photo messaging mobile application, was hacked on December 31, 2013.[1][2] The hack is said to have revealed parts of approximately 4.6 million usernames and phone numbers in a website named "SnapchatDB.info".[2][3][4]

Snapchat reportedly failed to fix an API security vulnerability that was publicly disclosed by Gibson Security, an Australian security firm on 27 August 2013.[5][6] Gibson Security then made public the source code for their exploit on Christmas Day (in Australia, Christmas Eve in the US).[7][8] On December 27, Snapchat announced that it had implemented a number of mitigating features.[9] Nevertheless they were hacked by anonymous perpetators,[10] who said that the mitigating features were only "minor obstacles".[11] The hackers also sent a statement to the popular technology blog TechCrunch, saying, "our motivation behind the release was to raise the public awareness around the issue and also put public pressure on Snapchat to get this exploit fixed".[3] Snapchat apologized a week after the hack.[12]

Public response

Gibson Security spokesperson said, "I can understand [why they hacked Snapchat], and it's probably going to get Snapchat to do something, but I think it was too far, and they could have at least censored more of the phone numbers".[13] Gibson Security, the firm that first pointed out the security flaw, said it was not a part of the hacking attempt.[14] However, some Snapchat users posted to Twitter that they were not worried about the hack.[15] Adam Levin, co-founder of Identity Theft 911, commented that any hacking attempt impacts people. He said it is important to know that any technology can be defeated, and one should look at things skeptically.[15] According to Yahoo! Finance's Jeff Macke, "Last fall Spiegel reportedly turned down as much as $3 billion from Facebook (FB) and $4 billion from Google (GOOG)", and thus—according to Macke—, after the hack "Evan Spiegel is looking like a guy who turned down $4 billion for a company that just lost its reason to exist. That being the case we’ve got an early leader for biggest loser of 2014."[16]

Response from Snapchat

Snapchat issued a formal statement about the hack.[13][17] Evan Spiegel, the founder of Snapchat whose number was apparently present in the hacked database, tweeted that the company was currently seeking legal help.[17] In its response, Snapchat said that an updated version of its app would soon come out that could let users opt out of the "Find Friends" feature, that required their stored numbers so that other users could easily find them.[18] Other changes applied by Snapchat post the attack, to protect users and improve security, include the rate limiting suggested by security researchers last week.[19][20]

One particular phrase in the response reads "[...] that same group publicly documented our API, making it easier for individuals to abuse our service and violate our Terms of Use". This is an example of Security through obscurity.

References

  1. ^ "Snapchat: In 'theory' you could hack... Oh Crap, is that 4.6 million user's details?". The Register. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  2. ^ a b "How to Survive the Snapchat Hack (and Others)". TIME. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  3. ^ a b "Snapchat hack: Users wonder whether their snaps are safe". San Jose Mercury News. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  4. ^ "Snapchat hack leaks 4.6m users details". The Telegraph. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  5. ^ http://www.zdnet.com/snapchat-names-aliases-and-phone-numbers-obtainable-via-android-api-say-researchers-7000019992/
  6. ^ "Snapchat Security Disclosure". Gibson Security. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  7. ^ http://www.zdnet.com/researchers-publish-snapchat-code-allowing-phone-number-matching-after-exploit-disclosures-ignored-7000024629/
  8. ^ http://gibsonsec.org/snapchat/fulldisclosure/
  9. ^ http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/27/snapchat-phone-number-hack/
  10. ^ http://techcrunch.com/2013/12/31/hackers-claim-to-publish-list-of-4-6m-snapchat-usernames-and-numbers/
  11. ^ http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57616434-93/overexposed-snapchat-user-info-from-4.6m-accounts/
  12. ^ http://www.businessinsider.com/snapchat-hack-apology-2014-1
  13. ^ a b "Snapchat confirms leak of 4.6M usernames, doesn't apologize". VentureBeat. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  14. ^ "Snapchat hacked, leaking 4.6 million usernames and phone numbers". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  15. ^ a b "Snapchat's hack: What Users should do now". Fox Business. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  16. ^ "Snapchat hack may have just cost the company founder $4 billion". Yahoo Finance. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  17. ^ a b "Snapchat hack: 4.6 million users affected". The Independent. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  18. ^ "Snapchat acknowledges hack, updated app coming that lets users opt out of Find Friends". Engadget. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  19. ^ "Snapchat- Find Friends abuse". Snapchat Blog. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
  20. ^ "Millions of accounts compromised in Snapchat hack". CNN. Retrieved 2014-01-03.
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