If you know anyone below the age of 20, chances are you’ve heard of TikTok. It’s the hottest new viral app made in China, where anyone and everyone can share 15-second video clips with the world. These short-form videos often take the form of lip-syncing to popular songs or infectious new dance trends. TikTok exploded in popularity following their purchase of US created rival Musica.ly in 2017 and the merging of their user bases.

However, TikTok has been flagged as a potential threat to cyber security. Issues surrounding TikTok stem from the fact that Chinese companies are legally obligated to share their data with the government. As of January 2020, TikTok had 800 million active users making it the seventh most popular social media platform. Whilst 400 million of these are Chinese users, the other 400 million are spread across the globe.

Why is this a problem for cyber security?

Before considering how this level of unrestricted government access to private information is a serious cyber security threat, first, let’s look at issues with the app itself. TikTok is especially vulnerable to hacking. A flaw in the app is currently allowing hackers to send an SMS to users containing a malicious link. Upon clicking said link, hackers take control of the user’s account allowing them to access the user’s data and manipulate their content.

What’s more, TikTok’s ad service has been acknowledged as being vulnerable to hacks due to a lack of appropriate security. With so many businesses looking to utilise TikTok over other social media platforms to access a wide audience, this potential breach causes great concern.

However, the biggest cause for concern is that at any moment, the Chinese government could access the personal data of 400 million non-Chinese TikTok users. Senators in the USA are currently looking into the legality of TikTok and whether or not actions should be taken.

What can be done to improve cyber security on TikTok?

Experts are currently advising for private users to increase their personal security through VPN’s or by closing their TikTok account entirely. More extreme measures are being suggested which involve each country banning access to the popular app. However, this kind of drastic action would face serious backlash both from the Chinese government and the many users who browse TikTok. As a result, no-one is currently stepping up to advocate this direction.

Whilst both of these options are commonly discussed by the general public, it is more likely that another method will be enforced. For instance, dating app Grindr which was also created in China, was forced to sell the app to another company and store their information offshore. A similar situation could take place with TikTok as in both instances, the security of US citizens and their data was the primary driving force.

Worried about your cyber security?

In the age of digital information where people businesses collect data from thousands of customers, it can be hard to know how to protect that data. Stay tuned to our blog to keep up with the latest updates in cyber security or give us a call on +44 023 034 0955 for a chat about placing cyber security experts within your business.