High-profile TikTok accounts compromised

TechCrunch reports that TikTok has confirmed the breach of numerous high-profile accounts on its platform, including those from CNN, Sony, and Paris Hilton, stemming from a possible exploit.

No further details regarding the compromise of accounts were provided by TikTok, which emphasized ongoing efforts to mitigate the intrusion and assist impacted account owners. However, both Forbes and Semafor reported that threat actors behind the attack may have leveraged the video hosting service's direct message functionality to facilitate malware distribution and prevent account logins.

Infiltration of CNN's TikTok account last week resulted in the days-long disruption of the account, according to Semafor, which noted the multinational news channel's ongoing efforts with TikTok to bolster account security ahead of the upcoming U.S. presidential polls.

Such an intrusion comes months after President Joe Biden approved legislation that would prohibit TikTok operations in the U.S. should its parent firm ByteDance refuse to divest from the app.