Troubles from online dating applications or how popular online dating services are vulnerable
Today, almost all of everyday life has gone online, and at the same time online dating has become very popular over the past few years. Unlike dating sites, dating applications are very popular among the new generation of people who want to meet on the Internet, due to their ease of use and the ability to use various social networks to automatically create user profiles. But, despite the ease of installing such applications, do users consider the risks of using such programs in conjunction with personal data?
The popularity of online dating applications has caused mixed reactions. More recently, it became clear that there has been an increase in the number of crimes related to online dating applications. And this month, a new study showed that almost half of the people using applications and dating sites, faced with spam and attempted fraud. Despite the fact that such online services are designed to ensure maximum ease of use for users who are limited in free time, it is clear that these programs expose users to a whole series of risks, both on the Internet and beyond.
It was revealed that many dating applications have vulnerabilities, and some of them get access to the user's GPS-data, as well as cameras and microphones of users' devices. If attackers take advantage of these vulnerabilities and install malware on devices, they will be able to access almost any information, including credit card information and the user's work / home address. They will also be able to access online user profiles and email, which they will be able to hack and use for their own purposes after.
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Not only users put their data at risk. According to an IBM study , 50% of companies have employees who use dating apps on their corporate devices. And this creates a big risk for the networks of such companies. In the past, there were many cases of accessing confidential data, when attackers exploited vulnerabilities in the network with the help of company employees (phishing emails were used) or third parties — Target and Anthem were victims of such attacks. In such situations, the clients of these companies receive the greatest damage, since their personal information falls into the wrong hands.
We’ve decided on risks, but what can users do to protect themselves? First, before downloading applications, you need to clarify what rights you grant to this application. Modern users easily part with their information without asking why a program needs access to GPS data and camera functions. Secondly, it is necessary to clarify the company's policy regarding the installation of its own applications on corporate devices. This seems to be a harmless thing, but you can put your colleagues and customers at serious risk. Companies also need to make sure that they have policies regarding the use of personal applications on work devices. If they can implement tools to prevent employees from installing applications, they must use them before corporate data is stolen.
The popularity of online dating applications has caused mixed reactions. More recently, it became clear that there has been an increase in the number of crimes related to online dating applications. And this month, a new study showed that almost half of the people using applications and dating sites, faced with spam and attempted fraud. Despite the fact that such online services are designed to ensure maximum ease of use for users who are limited in free time, it is clear that these programs expose users to a whole series of risks, both on the Internet and beyond.
It was revealed that many dating applications have vulnerabilities, and some of them get access to the user's GPS-data, as well as cameras and microphones of users' devices. If attackers take advantage of these vulnerabilities and install malware on devices, they will be able to access almost any information, including credit card information and the user's work / home address. They will also be able to access online user profiles and email, which they will be able to hack and use for their own purposes after.
')
Not only users put their data at risk. According to an IBM study , 50% of companies have employees who use dating apps on their corporate devices. And this creates a big risk for the networks of such companies. In the past, there were many cases of accessing confidential data, when attackers exploited vulnerabilities in the network with the help of company employees (phishing emails were used) or third parties — Target and Anthem were victims of such attacks. In such situations, the clients of these companies receive the greatest damage, since their personal information falls into the wrong hands.
We’ve decided on risks, but what can users do to protect themselves? First, before downloading applications, you need to clarify what rights you grant to this application. Modern users easily part with their information without asking why a program needs access to GPS data and camera functions. Secondly, it is necessary to clarify the company's policy regarding the installation of its own applications on corporate devices. This seems to be a harmless thing, but you can put your colleagues and customers at serious risk. Companies also need to make sure that they have policies regarding the use of personal applications on work devices. If they can implement tools to prevent employees from installing applications, they must use them before corporate data is stolen.
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/357008/
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