Snapchat's CEO isn't exactly apologetic about the recent hacking job that exposed 4.6 million numbers and usernames from the messaging service.
When speaking with TODAY on Friday, Evan Spiegel told Carson Daly, "I believe at the time we thought we had done enough. But I think in a business like this and a business that is moving so quickly, if you spend your time looking backwards, you're just going to kill yourself."
In hopes of closing the vulnerability gap, Snapchat is releasing an update that will allow a feature to be optional and implementing other restrictions, the company announced in a blog post.
The messaging service, which sends photos and texts that disappear after 10 seconds or less, is reportedly popular among tweens and teens. The leaked numbers appeared on New Year's Eve on a site called SnapchatDB, an unofficial and anonymous website that has since been shut down. Printed online with the last two digits redacted, the hacked phone numbers as well as the usernames were touted as a stunt to show Snapchat's vulnerability to hacking.
"This information was acquired through the recently patched Snapchat exploit and is being shared with the public to raise awareness on the issue," the hackers said on their website, as quoted by the Daily Mail.
Australia-based Gibson Security had been long warning that Snapchat was vulnerable.
The hack used the Snapchat "Find Friends" feature, which allows people to find other users by putting in phone numbers.
"We call it abuse of the 'Find Friends' service,'' Spiegel said of the hack to TODAY. "A tool we developed to help Snapchatters find their friends was used by someone to find usernames of people that weren't their friends. This person had 4.6 million friends in their address book, and they [the hackers] were able to match those phone numbers to usernames and then release that list."
Spiegel said no pictures or videos were compromised and all messages sent through Snapchat are deleted after viewing. He noted that the Find Friends feature is optional.
The startup, which reportedly turned down a $3 billion offer from Facebook, is working with law enforcement and has been on lockdown mode since the breach. But the company and its officials haven't been communicating much with the public since the hack, something that could hurt Snapchat's reputation.
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