Tea app suffers breach, exposing 1000’s of person pictures

Tea, an app that claims to assist ladies “ensure that your date is protected, not a catfish and never in a relationship,” is experiencing a safety breach. 404 Media reports {that a} database posted on 4chan allowed anybody to entry customers’ information. (It is since been eliminated.) The dataset included 1000’s of pictures, together with driver’s licenses.

4chan customers claimed the information got here from an uncovered database hosted on Firebase, Google’s app growth platform. 404 Media verified that the uncovered storage bucket URL matches one present in Tea’s Android app.

The corporate confirmed the breach. In an announcement to 404 Media, Tea mentioned it “recognized unauthorized entry to considered one of our methods and instantly launched a full investigation to evaluate the scope and influence.” The corporate said that the uncovered info included information from over two years in the past. It included 72,000 pictures, together with selfies, photograph IDs and footage from app posts and DMs.

“This information was initially saved in compliance with regulation enforcement necessities associated to cyber-bullying prevention,” Tea mentioned. “We’ve got engaged third-party cybersecurity specialists and are working across the clock to safe our methods. Right now, there is no such thing as a proof to counsel that present or extra person information was affected. Defending our customers’ privateness and information is our highest precedence. We’re taking each needed step to make sure the safety of our platform and stop additional publicity.”

The app permits customers to put up pictures of “red-flag” males. “Already swiping for dates on Tinder, Bumble, Match or Hinge?” the app’s Play Retailer pitch reads. “Tea is a must have app, serving to ladies keep away from purple flags earlier than the primary date with courting recommendation and displaying them who’s actually behind the profile of the individual they’re courting.”

Its Play Retailer itemizing highlights a reverse cellphone quantity lookup. It has sections for males’s actual names, ages, addresses, social profiles and relationship statuses. Different options embody a reverse picture search and background checks to assist ladies “get the tea in your date.” Customers can ballot others about whether or not they need to date new matches.

The app requires new customers to submit a verification selfie and a photograph of their government-issued ID. Tea informed 404 Media that it makes use of this to confirm that new signups are certainly ladies.

The timing of the breach coincided with the app’s surge in reputation. According to Enterprise Insider, Tea hit the highest of Apple’s App Retailer this week. The app first launched in 2023.