Your friends will know you’re in the app and ready to chat, so they can join … "In addition, users should change their passwords to ensure they are strong and unique across different sites. If so, let us know in the comments! And now one of them, an app called Houseparty, is offering a $1 million reward to anyone who can prove it’s been hacked. The chat app has quickly become a viral hit in recent weeks, but terrified users are now deleting the app over fears Houseparty has been compromised. Another said: "Everyone who has the house party app I advise you to delete your account and delete the app as this is seemingly how fraud is happening and people’s emails etc are getting hacked. [1][5] On average, users spend more than 60 minutes per conversation on the app in group or one-on-one chats. They added: "It's happened to other people too.". Quiz: How far would you get in Bridgerton’s London social season? "Unfortunately, there is no easy fix to this conundrum and little can be done until more details become available. How much of your day do you spend in bed? About an hour later, as the claim started gaining traction, another viral tweet came from user Megan Cassidy urging that people delete the app, saying it was hacking into other applications and … The app makes connecting face to face effortless, alerting you when your friends are “in the house” and ready to chat so you can jump right into the conversation. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Then all the speculation happened so figured probably best to get rid.”, Lily, from Leeds, said she got rid of the app after realising her passwords were “super easy to hack.”. "Affected individuals are advising people to delete their Houseparty account and delete the app off their device. Houseparty, the video chat app that's exploded in popularity over the last few weeks. "They're clearly providing a vital service to people’s mental health and wellbeing. Andrew from Bling Empire is abusive and we need to talk about it, Bling Empire transformations: What the cast looked like before the fillers, This student contracted hives after moving into her mouldy-ass halls, Netflix’s new dating show is basically a mix of Love Is Blind and Masked Singer, All the clues you missed about Lady Whistledown’s identity before she was revealed, Who was Brian Nickels? RUMOURS that popular video-calling app Houseparty has been "hacked" are spreading like wildfire online – but its creators deny a breach. Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? The man the series finale of Bridgerton is dedicated to, Just 29 more Bridgerton memes, this time all thirsty ones about the Duke of Hastings, There was a rape scene in Bridgerton and no one seems to have realised. In other news, find out how to sign up to the official WhatsApp coronavirus chatbot. And a hilarious prankster has revealed a cheeky way to skip out on dull virtual meetings while working from home. Large numbers of people have been taking to social media to urge users to delete their Houseparty accounts after hackers apparently used the app to access their Spotify, Pay Pal and Netflix accounts. The Cabins: Which of the couples are actually still together? in early 2019, And in June 2019, Houseparty was acquired by Epic Games for an undisclosed sum, Epic Games is a major US company that owns popular games Fortnite and Gears of War, Houseparty has seen a surge in popularity during the coronavirus lockdown. For a start, it could be plain old coincidence: cyber-crime is on the rise currently as hackers prey on confusion and interest in the coronavirus crisis. Users are reporting major issues after downloading the chat app, however. The app has come under scrutiny more than once on Twitter as well, with people claiming that they have been hacked through it. "By all means do whatever you think is necessary to stay safe online while the COVID-19 pandemic plays, out but it’s always best to make informed decisions. RUMOURS that popular video-calling app House Party has been "hacked" are spreading like wildfire online – but its creators deny a breach. Forbes looked … However, large numbers of users on Twitter are reporting that they've had Spotify, PayPal and bank accounts hacked after downloading the app. I wish I never came, The 49 things you know if you’ve ever stayed over at a boy’s house, This is how old the cast of new Netflix teen drama Fate: The Winx Saga actually are, ‘We’ve been the sacrificial lambs’: Student nurses say they’re at risk on placements, It’s A Sin cast: Meet the actors, and where you recognise them from. But the app's owner Epic Games – the company behind popular games Fortnite and Gears of War – deny that a breach has taken place. A spokesperson told The Tab: “We’ve found no evidence to suggest a link between Houseparty and the compromises of other unrelated accounts. "We’ve found no evidence to suggest a link between Houseparty and the compromises of other unrelated accounts," an Epic Games spokesperson told The Sun. One user wrote: "BOYCOTT HOUSEPARTY, just found out that’s how my Spotify was hacked and how many others are being hacked on various things, disconnect snapchat and delete account.". To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Over the past few days, countless Twitter and Instagram users have urged others to delete the app after claims of being hacked. Group video chat to help you and your friends be together when you’re not together. Fine, who is Sabrina Carpenter, and why has she dropped an Olivia Rodrigo diss track? Email us at tech@the-sun.co.uk, Matt Hancock to hold a press conference at 5pm TONIGHT, Boris Johnson confirms some UK lockdown rules could be lifted in THREE WEEKS, Haunting moment dying Covid patient, 73, desperately begs to see wife again, Frank Lampard SACKED by Chelsea with Thomas Tuchel favourite to take charge, Make your house hotter WITHOUT spending any money with expert’s tinfoil trick, ©News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Spend time with people you care about. The company has denied the app has compromised users’ data. "As a general rule, we suggest all users choose strong passwords when creating online accounts on any platform. "I know a lot of people will have this app.". But not everyone is convinced that this is a coincidence. Take this quiz to find out, 32 million died in the AIDS pandemic but our remembrance is pitiful. They’ve said users should pick strong passwords. "However, in this case I’d give Houseparty a chance to investigate and explain what’s happening. Get all the latest news and updates on Houseparty App Hacked only on News18.com. Well, the Houseparty team have suddenly been turned into the bad guys, with breathless comments on other social networks warning you to stop using the app right away: If anyone is using that house party app DELETE IT My friends email account been hacked into by it And managed to get bank account details too and has hacked that. Many of the users are reporting anecdotal issues – and citing "friends of friends" – which are telltale signs of a hoax. “The last thing I need in the middle of trying to complete a degree online with no access to a library or my professors and not going stark raving crazy, is to have my money stolen – money which I have been saving for my first pint out of lockdown in October.”, People are giving themselves atrocious home haircuts during quarantine, 11 TikTok dances you need to learn while in quarantine, There are 11 lockdown personalities and I’m about to tell you which one you are, Who would be your BFF in Bling Empire? The problem is, Houseparty disagrees with the hacking claims and will even pay you if you can provide proof that the claims are lies. I will never get over Veronica Green’s transformation, He gaslights, manipulates and love-bombs Kelly, Christine is married to a surgeon, so I’ll pretend to be surprised by how different she looks, “As a general rule, we suggest all users choose strong passwords when creating online accounts on any platform.”, “Every single one of my passwords is the same but with a different number at the end,” she told The Tab. "In addition, they should enable 2-factor authentication (2FA) on sites wherever it is available. The chat app has quickly become a viral hit in recent weeks, but terrified users John Shier, the senior security advisor at Sophos, believes the “hack” is “puzzling” because “there’s no evidence to suggest that Houseparty has been hacked and credentials stolen”. The owners of houseparty app, Epic Games (who also own Fortnite) have now offered to pay the first person to offer up some proof of this alleged hacking $1,000,000, so it’s pretty serious about putting these rumours to bed. There may be an element of social media hysteria at play here too. Houseparty has skyrocketed in popularity in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic as the go-to way for young people to hang out with mates. "I’d definitely recommend deleting any apps you think may be causing you and your contacts harm. A number of app users took to Twitter to voice that their Netflix and Spotify and even bank a ccounts were hacked, blaming Houseparty's servers for compromising their personal details. Houseparty App which allows people to video chat with a group of friends or relatives at a time or one-by-one is in news for all wrong reasons during the 8th day of UK Lockdown. The rumour seems to have originated from one tweet, which has since been deleted, in which the user claimed that the Houseparty app tried to log into her Spotify account. Houseparty is the face-to-face social network where you can connect with the people you care about most. "Especially at the moment with bad actors trying every single angle to exploit the current situation and people's need to communicate with friends and family during lockdown. Video chat app Houseparty is combating rumors that their service has been hacked, offering $1 million dollars to clear their name. RUMOURS that popular video-calling app House Party has been "hacked" are spreading like wildfire online – but its creators deny a breach. Hate to add to the house party hack stories but I’ve had someone try to hack my insta over 500 times in the last week. According to Apptopia data cited by VentureBeat , Houseparty’s downloads surged by 2,000% from mid-February to mid-March. "There is a rising wave of cybercrime activity directly linked to the global uptake of group social media platforms now that everyone is in isolation," said Brian Higgins, a cyber-security specialist from Comparitech, speaking to The Sun. The Houseparty app has naturally seen a massive … Several House Party users have taken to social media to report their Netflix, Spotify, and bank accounts hacked because of the app but its … Houseparty’s owner, Epic Games, says the app was not hacked, contrary to online rumors, and is offering $1 million for proof that user data was compromised. "I’d follow Epic Games on Twitter for a while and wait until it’s safe to use their app again.". It's helped us stay in touch with our friends and family during these uncertain times but Houseparty users are claiming that they've been hacked via the popular app. For other inquiries, Contact Us. Social gaming app Houseparty is seeing a big spike in use thanks to people working from home in the coronavirus lockdown. There is currently no evidence that Houseparty has been hacked. Houseparty is a social networking service that enables group video chatting through mobile and desktop apps. Houseparty, the app that found itself in a bright spot of viral user attention owing to the global stay-at-home mandates, has announced a million-dollar bounty for anyone that finds proof that other applications on users' phones were being hacked as a result of the Houseparty app. "Use a unique password for each account, and use a password generator or password manager to keep track of passwords, rather than using passwords that are short and simple.". Government plans to deny student loans to students with poor A-level results, Threatening to share intimate images and videos is still legal, this needs to change now. Deleted the app and it’s stopped — Michelle Elman (@ScarredNtScared) March 30, 2020 "It is highly likely that Houseparty has been compromised in some way, whether that is the core infrastructure, the software download or just a hook into the data.". Users receive a notification when friends are online and available to group video chat. It’s the must-have video chat app for many bored Brtis amid the coronavirus lockdown, but yesterday Houseparty was hit by rumours that it had been hacked. ", Houseparty is a popular social networking app, It offers group video-calling through mobile and desktop apps, Users receive notifications when friends are online and available to talk, The app was launched by Life On Air in 2016, after $12million in venture capital was raised, The company partnered with Ellen DeGeneres's app Heads Up! There are several explanations for this phenomenon that don't involve a mass-hack of Houseparty users. One user advised other fans of the app to "delete your account before you delete the app", another said they "recommend everyone to delete that house party app [sic], had my email etc hacked from it". Since then, more users have stated that they have been unable to delete their Houseparty account upon attempt. Video calling apps have become immensely popular during the coronavirus pandemic. Where are the massively viral YouTube music stars of 2010 now? News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. They continued: “Use a unique password for each account, and use a password generator or password manager to keep track of passwords, rather than using passwords that are short and simple.”, The company has also put a statement on Twitter saying: “All Houseparty accounts are safe – the service is secure, has never been compromised, and doesn’t collect passwords for other sites.”, • People are giving themselves atrocious home haircuts during quarantine, • 11 TikTok dances you need to learn while in quarantine, • There are 11 lockdown personalities and I’m about to tell you which one you are, You know what I kinda want to be best mates with Florent, This is just another example of how the UK chooses to remember its history, This comes as an effort to minimise students taking up places at university to which they are not suited to, Join Refuge’s The Naked Threat campaign to call upon the government to make this law change, I am clinging on to the thought of life after university, There will be no toilet roll and he can only cook pasta, They are being left without adequate PPE even though they are working in high risk areas, Finally we have gay characters played by actual gay people, Honeyyyyyyyy the Disney Channel singers are fightingggg, Several left my form on read and one blocked me. The Houseparty app has been around for a few years, but was far less popular in a world where you could attend a real house party with your friends instead of looking at them on your phone. Former Nasa scientist Mark Roberts used "glow powder" to show how quickly germs spread. As the world goes into lockdown due to the coronavirus crisis, internet users have flocked to Houseparty. The true story of The Investigation’s Kim Wall, the journalist killed on a submarine, I sent a Google Form to everyone I’ve hooked up with and these are their honest reviews, QUIZ: Answer these 10 questions and we’ll tell you exactly how lazy you are, If you’re still upset about last night’s Drag Race elimination, these 17 memes will make it better. The same goes for you opening the app! The app’s creators instead claim that it is the victim of a “commercial smear campaign” designed to dent its surging popularity, offering a … We pay for your stories! "There are any number of reasons why the online activity highlighted on Twitter could be happening. Bling Empire heirs: This is exactly where all their family money comes from. "I am afraid I don't believe in coincidences," said cyber-expert Peter Draper, of Gurucul, speaking to The Sun. "There is no evidence to prove these claims, and neither is it clear how these accounts are being breached. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Houseparty has emerged as a popular app during the coronavirus outbreak, and recent suggestions that the service was hacked could be bad news for a lot of users. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. "There are a lot of comments on social media about accounts getting taken over with the finger of blame being pointed at Houseparty. My PayPal which was with the same email address has been hacked and money taken from my bank! Many have said they deleted the app after claiming it was linked to suspected leaks of their data, with some blaming erroneous bank transactions on the app. However, in an email to The Tab, a spokesperson for the company said there was “no evidence” to suggest the app was linked to the compromises of other accounts. "It could be that bad actors have gained access to the passwords of Houseparty users and using those passwords against other websites. Developers behind the popular videostreaming app Houseparty have sensationally offered a $US1 million bounty to anyone who can provide evidence of a “paid commercial smear campaign” against their platform amid hacking claims and orders to delete the app. But this tweet hasn’t stopped people from reporting that their houseparty app is still hacking their data. The hit app lets friends and family make video calls, play games and hang out in a virtual "house party". And one wrote: "DELETE HOUSEPARTY! RUMOURS that popular video-calling app Houseparty has been "hacked" are spreading like wildfire online – but its creators deny a breach. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. The government’s neglect of students has made university unbearable. The app — which offers group calling, quizzes, and games — launched in 2016 and was acquired by Epic Games in 2019. Late Tuesday night, the group video chat app Houseparty tweeted a bizarre statement: Simply put, you might not need to rush out and delete House Party right now. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Comments are subject to our community guidelines, which can be viewed, Houseparty is a wildly popular video chat app, Users are claiming that Houseparty has been hacked, but there's little evidence so far, The Houseparty app is being linked to account-hacking across multiple platforms, users say, Houseparty is available on multiple devices, cheeky way to skip out on dull virtual meetings, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Users flooded to Twitter reporting other accounts – like Spotify or PayPal – had been hijacked … Quiz: Which iconic teen queen movie best friend are you? Responding to a sudden explosion of allegations that a security flaw in the app was … Houseparty, which is the third most downloaded app on the iOS store in the United States, is a favorite of young people. Viral posts are suggesting that popular chat app Houseparty has been hacked – and users’ personal information stolen along with it. According to the company, it’s not. Read all news including political news, current affairs and news headlines online on Houseparty App Hacked today. "Or it could very well be that the Houseparty app itself has been compromised and is stealing the credentials of users. The makers of video calling app Houseparty have denied claims the platform has led to other online accounts being hacked. Eilidh, and Aberdeen student who deleted the app after seeing speculation, told The Tab: “I was gonna do it anyway cause the notifications were annoying me and I haven’t really used it. In late March 2020, rumours began circulating that suggesting a major Houseparty hack. Users pointed to … Houseparty has skyrocketed in popularity in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic as the go-to way for young people to hang out with mates. 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