How To Hack A Tiktok Account? 5 Ways
Utilizing the TikTok app, users can share and watch videos that range in length from fifteen seconds to three minutes and come from people they follow, including celebrities, friends, and family. It’s a shame that being a widely used application has made it a hacker-friendly target. It’s possible to hack a Tik Tok account. Is it legal? Can you easily hack a Tik Tok account? All TikTok users are plagued by these thoughts. If you read this article, you can discover how to break into a TikTok account.
Is It Legal To Hack A Tik Tok Account?
With a few obvious exceptions, it is generally illegal to hack an account. Actually, you have the right to hack yourself if the TikTok account is yours. Your account password might be lost to you or you may not have access to it anymore.
On the other hand, it is an invasion of privacy if you attempt to hack into a user’s account which is not yours. Spying on your children, spouse, or ex-spouse is not dangerous, but the victim might catch you if they suspect you of doing so.
Reasons To Hack TikTok Account Without Using Password
As was already stated, it is against the law to hack a TikTok account. But occasionally it is preferable to carry it out and hack the account. Notably :
- To verify your child’s account
- When you forgot your password
- Your phone was either lost, stolen, or a new one was purchased.
Whatever the reason, there are always efficient ways to access someone’s TikTok account. However, we oppose illegal spying, particularly when it is done without the target’s knowledge or consent.
How To Hack A TikTok Account?
Cross-site Scripting (XSS)
Cross-site scripting is a “vulnerability that allows unauthorized JavaScript code to be executed on a website” (There are two varieties of XSS: reflected and stored. Reflected XSS is considered less harmful and “is a one-time attack where the payload sent in a reflected XSS attack is only valid on that one request” (sciencedirect).
Whoever “clicks the link that contains the malicious script will be the only person directly affected by this attack”. Let’s look at a TikTok XSS attack illustration.
In 2020, Security researcher, Muhammed Taskiran, found a vulnerability related “to a URL parameter on the TikTok.com domain which was not properly sanitized” (zdnet).
While he was fuzzing the platform, he found that “this issue could be exploited to achieve reflected cross-site scripting, potentially leading to the execution of malicious code in a user’s browser session”.
Consequently, what does this mean for TikTok users? In any case, if attackers have successfully run malicious code (i.e. scripts) into a user’s browser session, then the user’s session has been hijacked and the attacker can do whatever they want!
The user’s online activity may be monitored, malicious files may be downloaded onto the user’s system, and their device may even be hacked.
Phishing Emails
The process of hacking TikTok accounts is simple for hackers who use phishing emails. Users may receive bogus emails from the hacker that appear to be coming from TikTok.
For instance, the email content might indicate that your account has been compromised and that you need to provide your login information to help restore access to it. This is just one illustration of how a cybercriminal can trick you into providing your personal information.
Back in 2019, there was a vulnerability that allowed hackers “to use a link in TikTok’s messaging system to send users messages that appeared to come from TikTok” (NYTimes). Hackers had access to all accounts and could take over if users clicked the link. The account was hacker-accessible, allowing them to post videos, view users’ personal videos, and more.
Remote Keyloggers
Because the cybercriminal must first gain access to your device before installing a piece of software to record everything you type on your keyboard, remote keyloggers primarily affect your mobile devices or laptop.
Any time you log into a personal account (such as an email account, a bank account, a TikTok account, or another), every keystroke will be recorded. With this information, the hacker will be able to access your account.
Zero-day Vulnerability
Zero-day vulnerabilities are brand-new security holes that may be known to software vendors, but there is currently no patch available to fix them. Because of this, the weakness would be exploited by hackers. If a hacker discovers a hole in TikTok (i.e. with the source code, or database), then hackers may be able to leak all of the users’ data.
Weak Passwords
By guessing the password, hackers can easily gain access to TikTok accounts, particularly if the password is simple and widely used, such as a nickname, phone number, partner’s name, pet name, to name a few. Naturally, if the user’s password is a little more challenging to guess, the hacker could also carry out a brute force attack.
How Do I Get My Hacked TikTok Account Back?
Act Immediately
As soon as you believe someone is attempting to remove your account, you should take action. The longer you wait, the greater the likelihood that someone will steal your information or change your password.
Change Your Password
Change your password as soon as you can if you can still access your account.
Go to your profile page in the TikTok app after signing in, and then tap the three dots in the upper right corner of the screen.
- Select “Manage my account.”‘
- Choose “Password.”‘
- To verify your identity, enter your security code or other identifying details.
- After entering your new password, click “Log In” to confirm.
TikTok Account Recovery
You must go through TikTok’s account recovery process if a hacker has locked you out of your account. Since you’ll have to manually attach an email address or phone number to recover your account, you must keep your information current on your TikTok account.
- Click “Forgot password? ” on the TikTok login page.’ under the login screen.
- Choose between entering your email address or phone number based on the information that is currently associated with your account. To receive a password reset code, click “Reset.”
- To proceed, enter the verification code that you received via text or email.
- Enter a new password, then click “Log in” to confirm.
Contact TikTok
The last option is to get in touch with TikTok directly if you’re unable to log back into your account.
The email address you should use varies depending on where you are. Due to the extremely high volume of users attempting to reach the company, you should prepare to wait quite a while before hearing back.