TikTok has fixed a vulnerability that led to a rare type of cyberattack this week. The vulnerability involved hackers sending malware-laden private messages to users. As soon as the infected messages were opened, hackers were able to instantly take over those user’s accounts. The scammers took over CNN’s TikTok account and also made an effort to hijack Paris Hilton’s account, amongst others, Axios reports.A TikTok spokesperson told Axios that it’s actively working with the impacted account owners to help restore access to their accounts.The attacks are thought to be zero-click spyware attacks, according to Forbes. They’re commonly used against high-profile government officials as well as journalists and political activists. With these attacks, hackers traditionally want to gain access to a user’s device to obtain text messages, call history, and other content. In the case of the TikTok attacks, however, the goal was to take over the account entirely. Given the nature of the attack, it is not expected to impact average users.
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Currently, only two accounts have been identified as targets of the attack; however, more could potentially be named. The company has also yet to identify what vulnerability hackers were able to exploit in order to gain access to the accounts.
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