One of China’s most popular apps has the ability to spy on its users, say experts | CNN Business

The article discusses a recent discovery of malware in the popular Chinese shopping app Pinduoduo. The team of engineers and product managers who developed the exploits were disbanded by the company after suspicions about the app's malicious behavior were raised.

Here are some key points from the article:

* The malware allowed users to access sensitive information such as location, contacts, calendars, notifications, and social media accounts without their consent.
* The exploit also gave Pinduoduo access to system settings and could change the app's functionality.
* The company removed the exploits after a report by Dark Navy, a Chinese cybersecurity firm, raised suspicions about the app's behavior.
* Despite the regulatory clampdown on Big Tech in China, Pinduoduo's malware was not detected by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology or the Cyberspace Administration of China.
* The discovery has raised questions about the effectiveness of the regulators' oversight and their ability to understand the malicious code.
* Some cybersecurity experts have criticized the lack of action taken by regulators, saying that they may not be able to understand the complexities of technology.

The article highlights the importance of regulatory oversight in detecting and preventing malware, as well as the need for more transparency and accountability from companies like Pinduoduo. It also raises questions about the effectiveness of cybersecurity measures in China and the potential risks to users' personal data.
 
Man, this is wild 🤯... I mean, who would've thought that one of China's biggest shopping apps was hiding malware? Like, we all know that Big Tech companies are capable of some shady stuff, but Pinduoduo just takes it to a whole new level 😬. It's crazy that they were able to get away with this for so long without anyone noticing.

It really makes me think about the state of cybersecurity in China 🤔... I mean, is it even possible for regulators like the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology or the Cyberspace Administration of China to keep up with all these new threats? It's not like they're trying to be malicious or anything, but it just seems like they might be too slow to catch on.

And what does this say about our reliance on technology 🤖... I mean, we're so used to having these apps and services that do basically everything for us, but sometimes that means we don't even realize when something is going on behind the scenes. It's like, we need to be more vigilant and demand more transparency from companies like Pinduoduo.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that this whole thing just highlights how much we still have to learn about technology and cybersecurity 🤔... We can't just assume that everything is safe and secure, because that's not always the case.
 
OMG 🤯 this is so shady 🕵️‍♀️ I'm literally low-key impressed that a Chinese cybersecurity firm like Dark Navy was able to pick up on this stuff before anyone else. It's crazy how Pinduoduo's malware managed to fly under the radar for so long, especially given the regulatory clampdown on Big Tech in China 🤔. Like, what even is going on over there? 😂 The fact that the company just disbanded the team that created the exploits without any major public backlash or consequences for the app is wild too. It's all about the benjamins 💸, you know? I'm calling it: Pinduoduo needs to step up their transparency and accountability game ASAP 📊. The cybersecurity experts are totally right – regulators need to get with the times and understand what's going on in the tech world if they want to keep us safe 🚀.
 
just heard about this on my newsfeed 📰😕 i mean think about it if a big player like pinduoduo can get away with malware without anyone noticing its pretty worrying for users. i know china's got some major tech hurdles to jump over but the lack of action from regulators is concerning 🤔 what's going through their minds when they don't detect something this serious? and what about all the people who used the app unknowingly? its not just about pinduoduo, its about the bigger picture of cybersecurity and trust in our digital lives 💻
 
🚨 Malware Alert 🚨 - what's going on with Pinduoduo? I mean, a Chinese shopping app being used for evil is just wild. The fact that their own devs created this malware and then got canned by the company is pretty crazy. 🤯 It's like they were playing cat and mouse with Dark Navy, trying to stay under the radar. And now we're left wondering how did they even slip past regulators? 🤔 I mean, I know China has been cracking down on Big Tech, but it looks like Pinduoduo managed to evade them.

I'm not sure what's more shocking - the fact that this happened or the lack of transparency from the company. It's one thing for a company to mess up, but when you're hiding behind "we didn't know" and "it was an accident", it doesn't sit well with me. 😒 I mean, where were the checks and balances? Why wasn't anyone watching over these devs?

It's a wake-up call, for sure. We need better regulation and more accountability from companies like Pinduoduo. And we need to be more vigilant as consumers - if something seems too good (or bad) to be true, it probably is 🤑.
 
I'm shocked by this development - a major Chinese shopping app with known malicious behavior 🤯. It's concerning that a company as widely used as Pinduoduo could have such vulnerabilities without being detected by regulators, at least initially. The fact that the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology or Cyberspace Administration of China didn't flag this issue before raises questions about their expertise in tech-speak 🤔. I think the need for more transparent and accountable corporate practices is paramount here, as well as better cooperation between regulatory bodies and tech companies to prevent such incidents. Ultimately, users' personal data security should be the top priority 👍.
 
Ugh, just heard about this 🤯. Can't believe a popular shopping app like Pinduoduo had malware like that 🚫. I mean, who needs access to your location and social media accounts without asking? 🙅‍♂️ It's crazy how they could just change the app's functionality too 💻. And what really gets me is that it wasn't even caught by the regulators 🤷‍♀️. Like, what are they even doing? 🙄 I feel like we're living in a Wild West of cybersecurity right now 🌅. Pinduoduo needs to be more transparent about their security measures and the government needs to step up their game 👮‍♂️. We need to protect our personal data and keep these companies accountable 💯.
 
OMG, I AM SO GLAD THEY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS MALWARE THING ON PINDUODUO!!! IT'S LIKE, WHO KNEW THE APP WAS DOING THIS STUFF WITHOUT PEOPLE'S KNOWLEDGE???? 😱 I MEAN, CHINA NEEDS TO GET ITS ACT TOGETHER WHEN IT COMES TO REGULATING THESE BIG TECH COMPANIES. I DON'T THINK IT'S FAIR THAT THEY COULDN'T DETECT THE MALWARE EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE THESE REGULATIONS IN PLACE. IT'S LIKE, HOW CAN YOU EXPECT PEOPLE TO TRUST A COMPANY IF THEY'RE NOT GOING TO CHECK FOR MALWARE FIRST???? 🤔
 
idk how ppl are still using pinduoduo 🤯 they knew it was dodgy from day one, but chinese gov didn't take action so now its global malware alert 🚨 what's next? other chinese apps gonna get infected too?
they need to fire the devs involved ASAP, it's not like u can just leave em to their own devices 😂 and btw, dark navy did a good job spotting this, hope they got paid 💸
regulatory oversight in china is still super weak 🤦‍♂️ they need to get their act together, or ppl will keep getting scammed 🤑
 
omg 🤯, can't believe what's going on with Pinduoduo!

So I looked up some stats on malware in 2024 and it's like 70% of mobile apps have some kinda exploit 📊. Like, that's a lot! And 1 in 5 people use an app without reading the permissions first... 😱

Here are some more numbers:
* 80% of users don't change their passwords after installing an app (😳)
* The average user clicks on like 1000+ ads per month, increasing the chances of a malware attack 📈
* Only 15% of people know how to detect malware 🔍

And it's not just Pinduoduo... in 2024, we saw like 200+ major breaches, with 500 million records exposed 🤯! The numbers are crazy!

Anyway, I think the regulators need to step up their game and be more transparent about what's happening. Companies like Pinduoduo need to be held accountable for their actions 🤝
 
Malware on Pinduoduo... how original 🙄. I mean, who wouldn't want their sensitive info compromised while shopping for second-hand goods? 😂 It's not like they're selling fake designer handbags or anything. But seriously, it's a bit of a slap in the face that the regulators didn't catch this one sooner. I guess you could say they were too busy trying to keep up with the latest WeChat updates 📱. The fact that cybersecurity experts are criticizing the lack of action from regulators is pretty spot on though. It's like, if Big Tech can't even get it together in China, how do we expect them to protect us in other parts of the world? 🔍
 
I'm so confused, I've been using Pinduoduo for ages but never thought it was malicious 🤔👀. Like, I just got an alert that a friend's birthday is coming up on my calendar out of the blue, and at first, I was like "hey, nice!" 😂 But then I thought, wait a minute, how did that even get in there? 🤷‍♀️ And what if it's not just my friends' info but also other people's?! 🚨 That's so creepy. I guess this means Pinduoduo needs to be more transparent about what they're doing with our data 📊. And, like, why did it take a Chinese cybersecurity firm to notice the malware before the government? 🤔 Isn't that their job? 🤷‍♂️
 
I'm so glad someone's finally talking about this! 🙅‍♂️ I mean, a popular Chinese shopping app has malware that can access all your personal info without you even knowing? That's just not right! 😱 The fact that the company didn't catch it themselves and had to be told by some outside cybersecurity firm is just worrying. And what really gets my goat is that the regulators seem to be asleep at the wheel - I mean, they should've caught this stuff ages ago! 🤦‍♂️ It's time for them to step up their game and make sure these kinds of things don't happen in the future.
 
I'm kinda glad this happened with Pinduoduo, you know? Like, think about it, if they're being so sneaky with malware, that means they're probably not using some of those fancy tech tools for good 😏. And now the whole thing's out in the open, and we can finally see what's going on behind those polished app stores... I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm all for keeping users safe online, but come on, a company getting caught with their hands dirty? That's gotta be a wake-up call, right? 💻
 
🤦‍♀️ I'm so relieved that the company finally took action after some suspicious report came out 🙏. My kid is on that app and it's crazy to think that there were people sneaking around like that 🤯. It just goes to show how important it is for parents to keep an eye on what their kids are doing online 👀. I've been talking to my kid about online safety and how they should never share personal info with anyone or download anything from unknown sources 🚫. This just reinforces what I'm teaching them! 😂
 
OMG 😱 what's going on with this Chinese shopping app 🤯?! I mean, they found malware in Pinduoduo that could access people's sensitive info without them even knowing 📊😨 like location, contacts, and social media accounts... how can a company just leave that out there? 🤷‍♀️

And what's crazy is that the regulators in China didn't catch this either 🙄 they're all about cracking down on Big Tech but it looks like Pinduoduo slipped under their radar 👀. I mean, I get that cybersecurity can be super complex but still... some action needs to be taken! 💪

I'm also kinda curious how Dark Navy figured out the malware was there 🤔 did they have any insider info? And what's gonna happen to the people who created these exploits? Will they face consequences or just move on to the next project? 🤑
 
😒 just heard about this malware thing on Pinduoduo and I'm shocked. I mean, how could they even develop something that sneaky? 🤫 I think it's super lame that they got away with it for so long too. I mean, come on, if the regulatory people didn't notice anything, what else are they gonna catch? 🙄

I don't know about all these cybersecurity experts saying they can't understand tech, but like... isn't that kinda obvious? 😂 The thing is, companies need to be held accountable for this stuff. They have to be transparent and explain what's going on with their apps. It's not just about the regulators, it's also about keeping users safe. 🙏
 
omg, this is soo weird!! like they were able 2 get away w/ it for so long without anyone noticing? i mean, isnt that kinda worrying? how r u supposed 2 know if its safe 2 use if theres already malware lurking around? and what about the ppl who dont speak english or chinese? they gotta worry bout their own personal info getting compromised 🤯

anywayz, im all 4 more transparency & accountability from companies. like, we should no what's goin on w/ our data & apps. can't just keep it hidden behind closed doors 🚫. and yeah, regulators need 2 step up their game too. cant have them just not gettin' it 😅.

also, ppl r sayin its a big problem in china cuz tech companies rnt held accountable... thats def true. need 2 see change happen ASAP 💥
 
I'm surprised they didn't detect this malware earlier, considering how big Pinduoduo is. I mean, it's not like they were using some super advanced code or anything 🤔. It's just basic stuff that a decent cybersecurity firm can spot in seconds. And now, the company just gets rid of the exploit and moves on? That's so convenient for them. What really gets me is that Dark Navy had to report it first, and even then, the regulators didn't do much about it 😒. I mean, if they're not going to take action against something as obvious as this, what exactly are they doing in there? It just goes to show that regulatory oversight is still pretty lax when it comes to Big Tech in China.
 
I'm low-key worried that my personal info is out there somewhere 😂... I mean, if a popular Chinese shopping app like Pinduoduo can be hacked, what's next? My cat's favorite toy maker getting into my Netflix password? 🤣 On a more serious note, it's kinda crazy that the regulators in China didn't catch this stuff sooner. Maybe they're too busy regulating their own lives... just kidding! Sorta 😜. Seriously though, this is a big deal and companies need to be held accountable for their security measures. I mean, who wants to have their cat toy maker (or shopping app) getting into their personal info? 🤷‍♂️
 
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