At the beginning of this year, Check Point Software Technologies Ltd discovered a serious “hole” in the protection of the social network TikTok, which makes it easy to get the user’s personal data, and, if necessary, manage the account without the owner’s knowledge.
Considering that the architecture of TikTok collects literally all information – from IP addresses and personal photos to contacts stored on a smartphone, the volumes of leaks can be enormous.
A natural question – are these security “holes” random mistakes of developers, or purposeful collection of data with Chinese characteristics?
The problem that was revealed caused a response – that TikTok specialists began to eliminate (or mask?) The discovered “error”, however, the volume of already stolen personal data cannot be estimated. As, however, and their recipient!
Check Point Research came to similar conclusions a year ago, but the Chinese developer company ignored these statements, probably deliberately leaving the security system the same.
The Chinese placed Apple under special control, leaving a hidden “hole” in TikTok for collecting all copied messages in US smartphones, from which it is the least of the risks to learn the logins and passwords from other social networks.
TikTok is owned by Beijing-based ByteDance. Moreover, in China itself they use the “local” version – Douyin, which looks a little different, but has other security “holes”, with Chinese characteristics!
It is an obvious fact that Beijing is interested in maximizing TikTok coverage around the world. The forced avalanche spread and the creation of a “fashion trend” for the social network do not obey the usual market logic.
The field of influence of the Red Queen, additionally reinforced by two Rooks brought into position, is being drawn more and more clearly. It can be argued that exceptionally strong figures will fight on the Chinese side in the world chess game.
According to developers, no other social network collects as much information from phones as TikTok, which sends detailed information about users, their personal data and information about movements to Chinese servers.
China, as a recognized leader in BigData, is able not only to collect such data, but also structurally. At the same time – completely ignoring international discontent and claims.
In the summer of 2020, the White House threatened to block TikTok in the United States, demanding the sale of the American division. The arguments are the leakage of personal data, including their transfer to the servers of Beijing, which for the United States is a direct threat to national security.
The CIA confidently claims the Chinese intelligence services are behind the Red Queen itself – Beijing ByteDance, as a tool of information impact, and behind the collection of personal data. In opposition to the CIA, ByteDance spent $ 2.61 million on the American lobby in 2020 in an effort to maintain its position in the game.
Surprisingly, international hackers from “Anonymous” – the eternal opposition to the CIA, when it comes to TikTok, they are in solidarity with the secret service, advocating the fight against the social network. Their argument – the Chinese are using the application for global tracking, collecting data and eavesdropping through the user’s device.
In India, the Chinese service has already been blocked since June 2020 by the Ministry of Information Technology. The argument is that the application is causing “damage to the sovereignty and integrity of India” by threatening the security of the state and public order.
In Russia, Roskomnadzor is preparing to inflict preventive strikes on TikTok, skillfully ignoring the political union of the Russian Federation with China within the framework of the world chess game.
TikTok developers almost do not moderate the published content, including calls for illegal actions and promotions.
The Three Tik Toks
At the moment, there are already three tik-toks in the world . The first is Chinese. Everything is clear with it.
The second “Tik Tok” is American. Last year, the Chinese company ByteDance sold the overseas Tik Tok segment to the Americans. In the United States, the “Tik Tok” corporation is now owned by Oracle, which won the battle to buy the resource from Microsoft.
There is also the Indian tik-tock segment, the Third “Tik Tok”. Who owns the “Indian” segment is not yet very clear. However, it is known for sure that ByteDance now owns “Tik Tok” only within China.
Therefore, whose servers the information goes to is a big question and depends on the binding of a specific “tik-tok” on the user’s phone. If “Tik Tok” is downloaded from Google, then, most likely, the information will go to American servers, and not to Chinese ones.
