To attract users across the Global Majority, many technology companies have introduced “lite” versions of their products: Applications that are designed for lower-bandwidth contexts. TikTok is no exception, with TikTok Lite estimated to have more than 1 billion users.
Mozilla and AI Forensics research reveals that TikTok Lite doesn’t just reduce required bandwidth, however. In our opinion, it also reduces trust and safety. In comparing TikTok Lite with the classic TikTok app, we found several discrepancies between trust and safety features that could have potentially dangerous consequences in the context of elections and public health.
Our research revealed TikTok Lite lacks basic protections that are afforded to other TikTok users, including content labels for graphic, AI-generated, misinformation, and dangerous acts videos. TikTok Lite users also encounter arbitrarily shortened video descriptions that can easily eliminate crucial context.
Further, TikTok Lite users have fewer proactive controls at their disposal. Unlike traditional TikTok users, they cannot filter offensive keywords or implement screen management practices.
Our findings are concerning, and reinforce patterns of double-standard. Technology platforms have a history of neglecting users outside of the US and EU, where there is markedly less potential for constraining regulation and enforcement. As part of our research, we discuss the implications of this pattern and also offer concrete recommendations for TikTok Lite to improve.
Cross-platform efforts denigrated France's handling of the games and fomented fear of a potential terrorist attack
Cybersecurity and data protection technology company Acronis last week warned that threat actors are exploiting a critical-severity vulnerability patched nine months ago.
Tracked as CVE-2023-45249 (CVSS score of 9.8), the security defect impacts Acronis Cyber Infrastructure (ACI) and allows threat actors to execute arbitrary code remotely due to the use of default passwords.
Apple on Monday announced a hefty round of security updates that address dozens of vulnerabilities impacting both newer and older iOS and macOS devices.
iOS 17.6 and iPadOS 17.6 were released for the latest generation iPhone and iPad devices with fixes for 35 security defects that could lead to authentication and policy bypasses, unexpected application termination or system shutdown, information disclosure, denial-of-service (DoS), and memory leaks.
Cloudflare's TryCloudflare is being exploited by cybercriminals for malware delivery via phishing emails, reports say.
Learn more about how four malware, XWorm, AsyncRAT, VenomRAT, and PureLogs Stealer, are leveraging TryCloudflare and get security recommendations from our…
The Black Basta ransomware gang has shown resilience and an ability to adapt to a constantly shifting space, using new custom tools and tactics to evade detection and spread throughout a network.
In mid-2022, Mandiant's Managed Defense detected multiple intrusions involving QAKBOT, leading to the deployment of BEACON coupled with other pre-ransomware indicators. This marked Mandiant's initial identification of UNC4393, the primary user of BASTA ransomware. Mandiant has responded to over 40 separate UNC4393 intrusions across 20 different industry verticals. While healthcare organizations have not traditionally been a focus for UNC4393, several breaches in the industry this year indicate a possible expansion of their interests. However, this represents only a fraction of the cluster's victims, with the Black Basta data leak site purporting over 500 victims since inception.
Over the course of this blog post, Mandiant will detail the evolution of UNC4393's operational tactics and malware usage throughout its active lifespan, with a focus on the period following the QAKBOT botnet takedown. We will highlight the cluster's transition from readily available tools to custom malware development as well as its evolving reliance on access brokers and diversification of initial access techniques.
Russian and Moldovan companies targeted by XDSpy phishing campaign, deploying DSDownloader malware, amid escalating cyber conflicts.
A scathing rebuke by the U.K. data protection watchdog reveals what led to the compromise of tens of millions of U.K. voters' information.
The US government is suing TikTok and its Chinese parent company ByteDance over “widespread” privacy violations that it illegally collects data on kids 13 and under.
We uncovered a malvertising campaign where the threat actor hijacks social media pages, renames them to mimic popular AI photo editors, then posts malicious links to fake websites.
More than a million domain names -- including many registered by Fortune 100 firms and brand protection companies -- are vulnerable to takeover by cybercriminals thanks to authentication weaknesses at a number of large web hosting providers and domain registrars,…
Compliance failures and unsatisfactory responses mount from the long-time certificate authority
A senior official previously condemned the platform for ‘censoring’ Hamas-related content.
Supreme Court ruling that Greek state agencies were not involved in the use of illegal spy software shocks opposition leader who says confidence in the justice system had been 'seriously shaken'.
Both men committed major financial crimes—and had powerful friends.
EU Member States, with the support of the European Commission and ENISA, the EU Agency for Cybersecurity, published the first report on the cybersecurity and resilience of Europe’s telecommunications and electricity sectors.
DigiCert will be revoking certificates that did not have proper Domain Control Verification (DCV). Before issuing a certificate to a customer, DigiCert validates the customer’s control or ownership over the domain name for which they are requesting a certificate using one of several methods approved by the CA/Browser Forum (CABF). One of these methods relies on the customer adding a DNS CNAME record which includes a random value provided to them by DigiCert. DigiCert then does a DNS lookup for the domain and verifies the same random value, thereby proving domain control by the customer..
A major company made a staggering $75 million ransomware payment to hackers earlier this year, according to cybersecurity vendor Zscaler.
Zscaler made the claim in a Tuesday report examining the latest trends in ransomware attacks, which continue to ensnare companies, hospitals, and schools across the country.
