Watch out, some TikTok celeb accounts have been hacked

Is a celeb account on TikTok acting suspiciously? Chances are they’ve been hacked.

It appears that a hacker or a group of hackers are currently exploiting an undisclosed security issue, and using it to target high-profile accounts on TikTok.

Forbes reported on the attack earlier this week, noting that the accounts belonging to CNN, Sony, and Paris Hilton have been taken over by hackers.

According to the report, hackers are using malware which is transmitted through direct messages on TikTok, and doesn’t require the victim to do anything beyond opening a message. So far, the hacked account aren’t posting anything, which is somewhat odd for celeb account hacks.

TikTok has acknowledged that something is going on, though the company didn’t exactly share too many details.

“Our security team is aware of a potential exploit targeting a number of brand and celebrity accounts. We have taken measures to stop this attack and prevent it from happening in the future. We’re working directly with affected account owners to restore access, if needed,” a spokesperson for ByteDance, the company that owns TikTok, told Forbes. The spokesperson did later add that the number of compromised accounts was “very small.”

Be that as it may, high-profile account hacks are always dangerous as these profiles typically have large follower numbers, and can be used to further spread malware or disinformation.

In case of CNN, in particular, Semafor reported that the company’s TikTok account was taken down for several days, and CNN is working with TikTok to put additional measures in place to prevent this from happening again.

TikTok isn’t the only social media platform that’s under attack from hackers right now. Several high-profile accounts have recently been hacked on X as well, including Microsoft India’s account, which has been used to direct users to a fake crypto site designed to steal user funds.

TikTok, which is facing a ban in the U.S., has recently become an important topic ahead of the U.S. elections, with Donald Trump joining the platform (President Biden was already there, though only in the form of his campaign’s account) and rapidly amassing more than five million followers.