The article discusses the case of Pinduoduo, a Chinese e-commerce company that was found to have malware in its app. The malware allowed for unauthorized access to users' personal data, including locations, contacts, calendars, notifications, and social network accounts.
According to an expert from Oversecured, the exploits were removed after an update to the app version 6.50.0, but the underlying code was still present and could be reactivated to carry out attacks. The team that developed the malware was disbanded, and some members were reassigned to different departments within the company.
The article highlights several issues with Pinduoduo's handling of the malware situation:
1. Oversight failure: Regulators from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology did not detect the malware, despite its clear violation of China's data privacy laws.
2. Lack of technical expertise: Regulators lack the technical expertise to understand coding and programming, making it difficult for them to identify malicious code.
3. Censorship: A cybersecurity expert who pointed out the issue was censored on social media after posting about it.
The article notes that Pinduoduo's growth in user base has been possible despite China's regulatory clampdown on Big Tech, and that the company's handling of the malware situation is embarrassing for regulators.
In general, the article suggests that China's regulatory environment is inadequate when it comes to protecting users' personal data and ensuring that companies like Pinduoduo comply with regulations. The lack of technical expertise among regulators and the ability of companies like Pinduoduo to exploit this weakness is highlighted as a major concern.
Key statistics mentioned in the article include:
* 1.8 million followers: A cybersecurity expert who wrote about the issue on Weibo.
* 6.50.0: The version of Pinduoduo's app that removed the malware exploits.
* 2020: The year China launched its sweeping crackdown on apps that illegally collect and use personal data.
Key figures mentioned in the article include:
* Kendra Schaefer, a tech policy expert at Trivium China.
* Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images, the photographer who took the photo of people using their phones on the Beijing subway.
The article provides no financial information about Pinduoduo or its parent company, Trivago Group.
According to an expert from Oversecured, the exploits were removed after an update to the app version 6.50.0, but the underlying code was still present and could be reactivated to carry out attacks. The team that developed the malware was disbanded, and some members were reassigned to different departments within the company.
The article highlights several issues with Pinduoduo's handling of the malware situation:
1. Oversight failure: Regulators from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology did not detect the malware, despite its clear violation of China's data privacy laws.
2. Lack of technical expertise: Regulators lack the technical expertise to understand coding and programming, making it difficult for them to identify malicious code.
3. Censorship: A cybersecurity expert who pointed out the issue was censored on social media after posting about it.
The article notes that Pinduoduo's growth in user base has been possible despite China's regulatory clampdown on Big Tech, and that the company's handling of the malware situation is embarrassing for regulators.
In general, the article suggests that China's regulatory environment is inadequate when it comes to protecting users' personal data and ensuring that companies like Pinduoduo comply with regulations. The lack of technical expertise among regulators and the ability of companies like Pinduoduo to exploit this weakness is highlighted as a major concern.
Key statistics mentioned in the article include:
* 1.8 million followers: A cybersecurity expert who wrote about the issue on Weibo.
* 6.50.0: The version of Pinduoduo's app that removed the malware exploits.
* 2020: The year China launched its sweeping crackdown on apps that illegally collect and use personal data.
Key figures mentioned in the article include:
* Kendra Schaefer, a tech policy expert at Trivium China.
* Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images, the photographer who took the photo of people using their phones on the Beijing subway.
The article provides no financial information about Pinduoduo or its parent company, Trivago Group.
... but you know what? I think this is actually a good opportunity for China to upgrade its regulatory game 
! it's like they're being forced to step up their A-game 
. and let's be real, 1.8 million followers on Weibo can't be ignored 
. Kendra Schaefer's expertise is definitely something the Chinese government should be listening to 
. I mean, who needs more cyber attacks? 
at least now they're acknowledging the problem 
.
It's like they were playing a game of hide-and-seek with the law. And those regulators thought they could just dismiss it and move on? 
Not exactly what you'd call effective oversight, if you ask me.
. It's embarrassing that Pinduoduo was able to get away with this for so long without getting caught, but at the same time, it's not like anyone expected the regulators to be like "oh yeah we totally saw this coming" 
.
.
i mean, it's not like it's rocket science, but apparently, for them, it kinda is 
we need better expertise and more transparency around the tech world so people like us can trust that our info is safe 
i mean, it's not like pinduoduo was some small-time company, they're one of the biggest e-commerce companies in china 
it's clear that whoever is in charge of regulating these companies has zero clue what they're doing 
the fact that regulators didnt catch it till after an update is crazy 
and yeah censorship on social media is not cool at all 
. The whole thing is super embarrassing for the regulators, and I'm not surprised Pinduoduo was able to get away with it for so long 
.
... what's really worrying me is that Pinduoduo was able to hide this malware for so long and still managed to grow their user base like crazy 
. The lack of technical expertise among regulators is mind-boggling - how can they not spot malware just by looking at the code?! 
but for real tho, how many ppl got scammed cuz of this malware tho? was it thousands or just a few? 
. I mean, 1.8 million followers on Weibo gets silenced just for speaking out about this? That's not cool at all 
.
. Anyway, I guess what I'm saying is that China needs to step up its game when it comes to protecting user data and keeping regulators on their toes 
️
. We need some serious reforms ASAP! 