Participating in some TikTok video challenges could expose devices to malware that steals information, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has warned.
In a report released on Tuesday by the NCC’s Computer Security Incident Response Team (NCC-CSIRT), it was revealed that hackers had used the “Invisible Challenge,” a popular TikTok challenge, to spread the WASP (or W4SP) stealer, an information-stealing malware.
“This malware may be capable of covertly collecting screenshots, video recordings, or the ability to activate any connected camera or microphone,” the advisory said.
According to the statement, malware that is covertly tracking user behavior may also collect personally identifiable information (PII), such as names and passwords, keystrokes from emails and chat programs, websites visited, and financial activities.
In Nigeria, TikTok’s popularity is still rising quickly, especially among young people. Although it is the ninth most used social networking app in the nation, regulatory authorities have mostly ignored it.