Snapchat and suspicion of security flaw, where are we today
In the middle of 2019, there were suspicions about the Snapchat app's potential security breach.
In this regard, the leaders of the social network had quickly tried to react to try to stem the wave of suspicion that was growing. Apparently, there was information that employees of the firm who allowed themselves to use Snapchat's tools, for the purpose of gaining possession of certain personal information of users.
This article will also interest you: Snapchat and the security of your Snaps: a security increase without the knowledge of users?
Information that was stored to allow use when necessary. This also affected some registered Snaps, which should be used to develop the app. Data that was allegedly abused by Snapchat employees included location-related information such as location or GPS data, user identification information, names, usernames and certain profile information.
The American company immediately reacted, trying to shed some light on the case.
At that time, the case had been revealed by the Web platform Motherboard. Based on sources close to the social network or even employees, it was confirmed on the platform that the access tools that allowed to be able to use personal data had been mismaned by several employees of the entertainment company. And the system that was paused for that was called SnapLion. It is a system that allows, in the interests of respect for the law, and in a need for user assistance and development of the application, to access data quite sensitive to the latter, despite the credo of the company Snap Inc. to highlight its aim of privacy. As the case has exploded, it is clear that Snapchat employees are not really that ambition.
SnapLion is known to have been created by the U.S. Entertainment Company as a result of a U.S. data security law requirement. The goal is to collect a number of usage data to serve the U.S. justice system when needed, especially when an investigation is underway. in this way several types of data will be available through this collection including personal identification data (such as phone numbers, names and surnames, email addresses, usernames etc…),), accurate location data, and Snaps backed up in the app or even deeper in the memories.
In addition, Snapchat's collection tool is used in the company's "spam and abuse" branch. Another branch called customer operation, whose purpose is to combat harassment on the social network concerned, why also have access to this tool, just like the security branch.
According to a revelation made by an employee at the platform Motherboard, SnapLion gave the "Keys of the Kingdom", that of data Personal. but that doesn't mean that it's through this tool that employees were able to access the data they used on their own intention.
Snapchat, for its part, said management was aware that some of its employees had at one time abused certain users' personal information. but that this kind of misconduct has not gone unpunished or will not go unpunished. The firm will even add this: "Any intrusion into users' personal data by unauthorized persons is a violation of rights and would be punished. »
Now access an unlimited number of passwords:
