A hacker nicknamed "binanhang123" on the hacker forum recently claimed to have attacked and exploited data of 100 million Zalo users in Vietnam.
Not only did the information go public on social media, the account "binanhang123" proved its claim by posting a partially obscured data extract so that other members on the forum could check.
If exactly 100 million Zalo accounts are hacked, many people will have their important, private information leaked. When users' information is leaked, cybercriminals can completely exploit that data to carry out fraudulent activities.
It can be imagined that criminals take citizen identification information, red books, pink books that account owners save on the application to make fake documents, commit fraud, borrow money, and mortgage. Victims will face many complicated problems, with unpredictable consequences.
Many business groups and units use this application to exchange information, so they are very worried that bad guys will exploit it to do dangerous things, affecting their business, and even involving the law.
In addition to business, many people use this application as their secret corner to share personal feelings, leave pictures and messages without any precautions. Those pictures and private stories can be exploited by bad guys, causing trouble, even blackmail.
Recently, there have been cases of fabricated images of illicit relationships, causing suffering to the victims and their families.
Users really need a response from Zalo, verifying or denying information about this hack. While waiting for official information from Zalo, users need to stay calm, because it could just be a "threat" or "false rumor".
However, this incident is also a warning bell, everyone must be more careful when using applications, must know how to protect their accounts, limit posting important personal information on Zalo or any application.
People today live with smartphones and are bound by an "ecosystem" of technology and applications that is difficult to escape. Communication and information exchange must use smartphones and platforms, but not many people know how to protect themselves.
In addition to each person having to learn how to survive in the "ecosystem" of technology and applications, management agencies need to increase their responsibility, prevent cyber criminals to protect people.
It is time to consider providing safety online as important as it is in everyday life.
