Tea App Shuts Down DMs After Second Data Breach Exposes 1M+ Messages
▼ Summary
– The dating safety app Tea experienced a data breach exposing 72,000 sensitive images, including selfies, photo IDs, and user posts, which were shared on 4chan.
– A second security issue revealed additional user data, leading Tea to disable its direct messaging feature on Tuesday afternoon.
– Security researcher Kasra Rahjerdi provided 404 Media with leaked messages containing phone numbers and discussions about abortions and unfaithful partners, dating from early 2023 to last week.
– Tea stated the initial breach only affected users who signed up before February 2024, but Rahjerdi’s findings showed over 1.1 million messages were recorded.
– Tea temporarily disabled its direct messaging feature as a precaution and ranks No. 2 on Apple’s App Store, with around 2 million monthly active users.
The dating safety app Tea has disabled its direct messaging feature following a second major data breach that exposed over 1.1 million private user messages. This latest incident comes just days after the platform suffered another security lapse that leaked 72,000 sensitive images, including selfies and photo IDs used for verification.
According to reports, the newly exposed messages contained highly personal conversations, with users sharing phone numbers and discussing topics like abortions and infidelity. The breach was uncovered by independent security researcher Kasra Rahjerdi, who found messages dating back to early 2023. The app, designed as a space for women to share dating experiences, confirmed the initial breach only impacted users who joined before February 2024.
In response to the findings, Tea announced on Instagram that it had taken its messaging system offline “out of an abundance of caution.” The company has not yet provided details on how the breach occurred or whether affected users will be notified.
Despite the security concerns, Tea remains popular, currently ranking as the second most downloaded free app on Apple’s App Store. Industry estimates suggest it has roughly 2 million active monthly users, highlighting its rapid growth since launching last year.
This incident underscores ongoing challenges in protecting user data, particularly for platforms handling sensitive personal information. Tea’s temporary shutdown of DMs suggests the company is working to address vulnerabilities, but the repeated breaches raise questions about its long-term security measures.
(Source: TechCrunch)
