Apps like Tinder, Grindr and OKCupid have taken off over the past few years; however it seems as though using these apps might be a little more risky than previously thought.
Latest study suggests that 60 percent of popular dating apps have flaws in their code that could put users of these apps at risk of data theft.
"IBM tested IAC's dating apps-including Match, OkCupid and Tinder -and they were not among the apps found to exhibit the cited vulnerabilities," said an IAC spokesman in an interview. "We are confident in the continuing security measures we take to make sure our products meet the highest security standards."
IAC, or InterActive Corp, is the company behind many of the more popular dating apps.
If dating apps are vulnerable to attacks, hackers could potentially be able to impersonate real users, not only hurting their chances of being able to meet someone, but potentially tricking users into dangerous situations with someone that they thought was someone else.
"Many consumers use and trust their mobile phones for a variety of applications. It is this trust that gives hackers the opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities like the ones we found in these dating apps," said Caleb Barlow from IBM Security in a statement. "Consumers need to be careful not to reveal too much personal information on these sites as they look to build a relationship. Our research demonstrates that some users may be engaged in a dangerous tradeoff - with increased sharing resulting in decreased personal security and privacy."
Cyberattacks have become an important issue over the past few years, threatening not only large companies like Target, but also individuals. These attacks could potentially allow hackers to steal users' identity. The information being shared on dating apps can be very personal. Things that could be discussed include sexual history, family members, details about your job, and other things that you probably wouldn't want the world to see.
While the issue does lie with the apps themselves, it also highlights issues in Android. Dating apps often ask for permissions such as access to microphones, the camera, storage, GPS data, and so on. If hackers were able to hack into these apps, they could potentially also access all other things, including the data on the phone.
According to IBM, 26 of the 41 dating apps for Android had either medium or severe security flaws. These apps, however, were checked in October and it's not clear if the flaws have been fixed.
