Frequent cybersecurity vulnerabilities, ByteDance's parent company to adopt blockchain technology

The Chinese social media app "TikTok" has been popular worldwide, but recently there have been reports of serious security vulnerabilities that could potentially allow hackers to take control of billions of accounts. In response, its parent company – Beijing ByteDance Technology Co., Ltd. – has announced plans to invest in research and development, including technologies such as artificial intelligence and blockchain.

Security Vulnerabilities Stir Controversy

According to reports, ByteDance is partnering with the Chinese state-owned media company - Shanghai Dongfang Media Group to incorporate blockchain and AI into its business model. The focus in the future will be on security and digital rights for short videos.

Previously, TikTok came under fire for security vulnerabilities following a report by The New York Times. Hackers were able to hijack user accounts through malicious links and post videos without the users' knowledge.

Oded Vanunu, Head of Security Vulnerability Research at the Israel-based cybersecurity company Check Point, stated:

The security vulnerabilities we found stem from TikTok's core system, and TikTok has fixed all vulnerabilities by December 15th.

Blockchain to Verify Deepfake Content

In addition to addressing security vulnerabilities, TikTok's foray into blockchain is also driven by another reason: Deepfake.

Deepfake technology uses AI to realistically manipulate specific faces, voices, and expressions in videos. TikTok recently introduced a feature with built-in Deepfake capabilities, which has sparked widespread criticism as many believe it could lead to a proliferation of misinformation.

TikTok seems to be aiming to implement a blockchain-based verification system on the application through "digital rights" technology. This implies that TikTok could verify its users and offer Deepfake features in the future. However, many cybersecurity experts still consider this technology unattainable at present.

Overall, a series of security vulnerabilities surrounding TikTok in recent days has prompted ByteDance to more actively embrace technologies such as blockchain and AI, although it may take a considerable amount of time to realize their research.

Further Reading

• "Accidentally Entered Seed Phrase...": Malicious Google Apps Cause Losses
• International Hacker Group "Anonymous" to Donate $75 Million in Bitcoin

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