This article reports on the discovery of malware in the popular Chinese e-commerce app Pinduoduo, which was developed by a team of engineers and product managers who were later disbanded. The malware allowed users to have unauthorized access to their personal data, including location, contacts, calendars, and social media accounts.
The discovery of the malware was made by a cybersecurity firm called Dark Navy in late February 2023. The report spread quickly among other researchers, who confirmed the findings through their own analysis.
Pinduoduo's parent company, PDD Holdings, issued an update to the app on March 5, which removed the exploits. However, two experts who spoke to CNN reported that the underlying code was still present and could be reactivated to carry out attacks.
The lack of action by the Chinese regulators, particularly the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has been criticized by tech policy experts. They argue that the regulator's failure to detect the malware is embarrassing for them, as it is their job to monitor and regulate apps that collect and use personal data.
Some cybersecurity experts have questioned why regulators haven't taken action against Pinduoduo, citing a lack of understanding of coding, programming, and technology. A viral post on Weibo, a Twitter-like platform, sparked debate about the role of regulators in monitoring malware.
The article also highlights the challenges faced by regulators in monitoring complex tech issues, including the need for technical expertise to understand malicious code.
Overall, the discovery of malware in Pinduoduo highlights the ongoing struggle between tech companies and regulators over data protection and cybersecurity. It also underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in the tech industry.
The discovery of the malware was made by a cybersecurity firm called Dark Navy in late February 2023. The report spread quickly among other researchers, who confirmed the findings through their own analysis.
Pinduoduo's parent company, PDD Holdings, issued an update to the app on March 5, which removed the exploits. However, two experts who spoke to CNN reported that the underlying code was still present and could be reactivated to carry out attacks.
The lack of action by the Chinese regulators, particularly the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, has been criticized by tech policy experts. They argue that the regulator's failure to detect the malware is embarrassing for them, as it is their job to monitor and regulate apps that collect and use personal data.
Some cybersecurity experts have questioned why regulators haven't taken action against Pinduoduo, citing a lack of understanding of coding, programming, and technology. A viral post on Weibo, a Twitter-like platform, sparked debate about the role of regulators in monitoring malware.
The article also highlights the challenges faced by regulators in monitoring complex tech issues, including the need for technical expertise to understand malicious code.
Overall, the discovery of malware in Pinduoduo highlights the ongoing struggle between tech companies and regulators over data protection and cybersecurity. It also underscores the importance of transparency and accountability in the tech industry.
. I mean, who wants their personal info compromised on some random Chinese app? And it's not just that, it's all these experts saying regulators are doing a crappy job 
. Like, isn't it their job to keep us safe online? 
It's not rocket science, right?
. I mean, it's just basic coding and tech stuff, but apparently that's like a whole different language for some people 
.
Like, I get that the tech industry is complex and all, but someone's gotta step in and do something about this 
. We need some serious transparency and accountability here 
.
Pinduoduo's got some serious layout issues, if you ask me 
at least a clear, concise timeline of when the exploits were discovered and fixed 
. I mean, with all the data they're collecting on users, it's just begging for someone to exploit it 
. I don't know if we can expect them to be experts in every area of tech, especially when it comes to something like coding 
.
. Like, you'd think they'd want to fix the problem right away, but I guess we don't know the whole story 
. We need to know what's going on behind the scenes so we can trust our apps and services 
. And yeah, I guess regulators could be doing a better job of educating themselves on these issues 
.
!
. I get it, monitoring complex tech issues can be tough - you need people who actually know what they're talking about 
. But still, as a society, we've got to expect more from our tech companies and the folks in charge.
.
. I mean, look at all those Weibo posts sparking debate about regulators' role in monitoring malware 
. It's like we need a national conversation about online security - and fast 
!
. And honestly, I think we should be holding them accountable too - we're all connected online after all! 
.
. But seriously, it's time for them to step up and get their act together... 75% of users are worried about data protection now 
.
I'm so worried about all those people whose personal info was at risk 
. The fact that Pinduoduo didn't take action sooner is just heartbreaking 
. And now the regulators are getting roasted for not doing their job 
. I feel so sorry for those experts who have to deal with this kind of thing every day 
. It's like, how can you even keep up with all that coding and tech stuff 
Just thinking about it is giving me anxiety 
they should've caught that malware earlier! it's not like it was a tiny little bug, it was a major breach of user data 
but still, it's one thing to be slow and another thing to be completely oblivious 
Don't get me wrong, I love Pinduoduo (I've been using it for ages!), but this is just so not cool. The fact that they had to wait until some random cybersecurity firm stumbled upon the malware before doing anything about it is just...argh! 