"They're clearly providing a vital service to people’s mental health and wellbeing. "As a general rule, we suggest all users choose strong passwords when creating online accounts on any platform. The problem is, Houseparty disagrees with the hacking claims and will even pay you if you can provide proof that the claims are lies. But not everyone is convinced that this is a coincidence. 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. Get all the latest news and updates on Houseparty App Hacked only on News18.com. "I’d follow Epic Games on Twitter for a while and wait until it’s safe to use their app again.". Fine, who is Sabrina Carpenter, and why has she dropped an Olivia Rodrigo diss track? And a hilarious prankster has revealed a cheeky way to skip out on dull virtual meetings while working from home. 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. Quiz: How far would you get in Bridgerton’s London social season? 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. 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? 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. Social gaming app Houseparty is seeing a big spike in use thanks to people working from home in the coronavirus lockdown. Video calling apps have become immensely popular during the coronavirus pandemic. Users receive a notification when friends are online and available to group video chat. There is currently no evidence that Houseparty has been hacked. There may be an element of social media hysteria at play here too. Your friends will know you’re in the app and ready to chat, so they can join … Many of the users are reporting anecdotal issues – and citing "friends of friends" – which are telltale signs of a hoax. "I’d definitely recommend deleting any apps you think may be causing you and your contacts harm. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Responding to a sudden explosion of allegations that a security flaw in the app was … View our online Press Pack. The app’s creators instead claim that it is the victim of a “commercial smear campaign” designed to dent its surging popularity, offering a … 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. They added: "It's happened to other people too.". The government’s neglect of students has made university unbearable. There are several explanations for this phenomenon that don't involve a mass-hack of Houseparty users. Over the past few days, countless Twitter and Instagram users have urged others to delete the app after claims of being hacked. We pay for your stories! Several House Party users have taken to social media to report their Netflix, Spotify, and bank accounts hacked because of the app but its … 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". According to Apptopia data cited by VentureBeat , Houseparty’s downloads surged by 2,000% from mid-February to mid-March. 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.". Houseparty, which is the third most downloaded app on the iOS store in the United States, is a favorite of young people. "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. And one wrote: "DELETE HOUSEPARTY! "Or it could very well be that the Houseparty app itself has been compromised and is stealing the credentials of users. "There are any number of reasons why the online activity highlighted on Twitter could be happening. "I am afraid I don't believe in coincidences," said cyber-expert Peter Draper, of Gurucul, speaking to The Sun. 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. "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.". 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 … "However, in this case I’d give Houseparty a chance to investigate and explain what’s happening. "Unfortunately, there is no easy fix to this conundrum and little can be done until more details become available. According to the company, it’s not. Houseparty, the video chat app that's exploded in popularity over the last few weeks. A spokesperson told The Tab: “We’ve found no evidence to suggest a link between Houseparty and the compromises of other unrelated accounts. 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. 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. Video chat app Houseparty has denied that the app compromises data from unrelated accounts including users’ bank details and personal data, despite rampant speculation on Twitter. In late March 2020, rumours began circulating that suggesting a major Houseparty hack. 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.”. News Corp is a network of leading companies in the worlds of diversified media, news, education, and information services. 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 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. "It could be that bad actors have gained access to the passwords of Houseparty users and using those passwords against other websites. The Houseparty app has naturally seen a massive … Former Nasa scientist Mark Roberts used "glow powder" to show how quickly germs spread. My PayPal which was with the same email address has been hacked and money taken from my bank! 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. 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. 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. "There are a lot of comments on social media about accounts getting taken over with the finger of blame being pointed at Houseparty. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Users pointed to … Take this quiz to find out, 32 million died in the AIDS pandemic but our remembrance is pitiful. It's possible that many of these Houseparty users may have simply been caught out by another scam. The app has come under scrutiny more than once on Twitter as well, with people claiming that they have been hacked through it. 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 other inquiries, Contact Us. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. 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. 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 same goes for you opening the app! 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 chat app has quickly become a viral hit in recent weeks, but terrified users 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. "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.". 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. 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. The Cabins: Which of the couples are actually still together? Where are the massively viral YouTube music stars of 2010 now? Bling Empire heirs: This is exactly where all their family money comes from. RUMOURS that popular video-calling app House Party has been "hacked" are spreading like wildfire online – but its creators deny a breach. 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? Houseparty is the face-to-face social network where you can connect with the people you care about most. RUMOURS that popular video-calling app Houseparty has been "hacked" are spreading like wildfire online – but its creators deny a breach. "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. Late Tuesday night, the group video chat app Houseparty tweeted a bizarre statement: "I know a lot of people will have this app.". 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. 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). [1][5] On average, users spend more than 60 minutes per conversation on the app in group or one-on-one chats. Read all news including political news, current affairs and news headlines online on Houseparty App Hacked today. The makers of video calling app Houseparty have denied claims the platform has led to other online accounts being hacked. 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. The hit app lets friends and family make video calls, play games and hang out in a virtual "house party". 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. "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. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 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. 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. But this tweet hasn’t stopped people from reporting that their houseparty app is still hacking their data. 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. 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. 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. Users are reporting major issues after downloading the chat app, however. "In addition, they should enable 2-factor authentication (2FA) on sites wherever it is available. Since then, more users have stated that they have been unable to delete their Houseparty account upon attempt. In other news, find out how to sign up to the official WhatsApp coronavirus chatbot. But the app's owner Epic Games – the company behind popular games Fortnite and Gears of War – deny that a breach has taken place. Deleted the app and it’s stopped — Michelle Elman (@ScarredNtScared) March 30, 2020 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. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. 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. Users flooded to Twitter reporting other accounts – like Spotify or PayPal – had been hijacked … 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. How much of your day do you spend in bed? As the world goes into lockdown due to the coronavirus crisis, internet users have flocked to Houseparty. “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? "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. Simply put, you might not need to rush out and delete House Party right now. Houseparty is a social networking service that enables group video chatting through mobile and desktop apps. RUMOURS that popular video-calling app House Party has been "hacked" are spreading like wildfire online – but its creators deny a breach. Viral posts are suggesting that popular chat app Houseparty has been hacked – and users’ personal information stolen along with it. Group video chat to help you and your friends be together when you’re not together. Video chat app Houseparty is combating rumors that their service has been hacked, offering $1 million dollars to clear their name. 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. ", 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! Have you experienced any issues using House Party recently? To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. "In addition, users should change their passwords to ensure they are strong and unique across different sites. The company has denied the app has compromised users’ data. "There is no evidence to prove these claims, and neither is it clear how these accounts are being breached. They’ve said users should pick strong passwords. 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. "Affected individuals are advising people to delete their Houseparty account and delete the app off their device. Quiz: Which iconic teen queen movie best friend are you? The app — which offers group calling, quizzes, and games — launched in 2016 and was acquired by Epic Games in 2019. Spend time with people you care about. If so, let us know in the comments!