All articles tagged with #wechat
Researchers at Calif demonstrated 'WeWorm,' an AI-assisted tool that can hijack WeChat accounts via unanswered calls, highlighting severe vulnerabilities in China's digital infrastructure. This discovery intensifies pressure for AI safety discussions between US and Chinese leaders, though deep mutual suspicion may limit cooperation.
Researchers at Calif demonstrated 'WeWorm,' an AI-assisted zero-click worm that hijacks WeChat accounts via incoming calls without user interaction. The exploit leverages a memory corruption bug in WeChat's VoIP stack, allowing attackers to spread through contact lists. Tencent confirmed the flaw and patched it, stating no users were affected. The incident highlights AI's potential to accelerate cyberattacks and has prompted discussions on US-China AI security cooperation ahead of a Trump-Xi summit.
Security firm Calif demonstrated a zero-click worm that hijacks WeChat accounts via incoming calls, requiring no user interaction. The exploit, found using AI, spreads across Android and iOS devices by leveraging compromised contacts. Tencent mitigated the flaw server-side in August 2026, though technical details remain undisclosed.
Arcadia Mayor Eileen Wang resigns after the DOJ alleges she worked with Yaoning Sun to operate US News Center, a site linked to Chinese government influence, including sharing pre-written articles from a Chinese official via WeChat; one article denied Xinjiang abuses. The charges relate to conduct that ceased after she was sworn in December 2022. City officials say the investigation concerns individual conduct and found no involvement of city finances, staff, or decision-making; Wang has acknowledged past personal mistakes while affirming her devotion to Arcadia.
Canada has banned the use of Kaspersky security products and Tencent's WeChat app on government-issued mobile devices due to concerns over network and national security. The ban will take effect from October 30, 2023, and is based on fears that the companies may be secretly funneling sensitive information to Russian and Chinese intelligence services. Kaspersky disputes the decision, stating that it is politically motivated and lacks evidence of wrongdoing. This follows similar bans and warnings issued by the US, Germany, Italy, and the UK regarding the use of Kaspersky products in government systems.
Canada has banned the use of Chinese messaging application WeChat and Russian antivirus program Kaspersky on government-issued mobile devices due to privacy and security risks. The ban comes after an assessment by Canada's chief information officer, stating that these applications pose an unacceptable level of risk. The Treasury Board of Canada, which oversees public administration, has no evidence of government information being compromised but believes that the collection methods of these applications provide considerable access to device contents. The ban aims to ensure the security and protection of government networks and data, aligning with the approach of international partners.
Elon Musk's plan to charge new users $1 per year to tweet or retweet on Twitter, under the guise of fighting bots, is seen as a flawed strategy that won't effectively combat spam. Instead, it is believed that Musk's true intention is to get users accustomed to paying for services on Twitter, as he aims to transform the platform into an "everything app" similar to WeChat. However, the success of this vision is uncertain due to the dominance of Apple and Google in the American market, which take a significant cut of in-app transactions.
Elon Musk's plan to turn X into an everything app like WeChat may not succeed due to the vast differences between the US and Chinese markets. WeChat's success in China was built on its early beginnings as a messaging app and its integration into various aspects of daily life, including payments and utility bills. In contrast, X is entering a crowded tech market and faces competition from established giants. Additionally, WeChat's success was aided by China's tech censorship and the absence of major Western platforms. Musk's lack of understanding about China and the US market dynamics may hinder his ambitions for X.
Apple has opened a store on Tencent's WeChat platform, expanding its retail channels in China. WeChat users will now be able to purchase Apple products, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs, directly from the store. This move comes as Chinese consumers increasingly turn to social media platforms for shopping. In addition to its own stores and website, Apple already operates a shop on Alibaba's Tmall online marketplace. Despite a decline in China's smartphone sales, Apple recorded its biggest market share since 2014 during the first quarter of this year.
Twitter has merged with a newly formed shell firm called X Corp., which was set up by Elon Musk last month, driving speculation about what the billionaire owner intends for the social media platform. Musk has previously suggested that buying Twitter would be an 'accelerant' for creating X, which he dubbed an 'everything app' similar to China's WeChat. It's unclear what the change means for Twitter, which has seen a sweeping overhaul since Musk bought the company for $44 billion last year.
Twitter Inc. has been merged into X Corp., owned by Elon Musk, as a first step towards creating an "everything app" similar to China's WeChat. The merger has not been announced and is unlikely to have an immediate effect on the app or service. The move could be a way for Musk to have a larger parent company named X as the controlling interest over all of his properties like Tesla and Space X. The entity that is Twitter under X Corp. is now based in Nevada instead of Delaware, but all of the debt and lawsuits Musk and Twitter faced before will be carried to the new X Corp.
Chinese apps such as TikTok and WeChat have become popular among young Americans due to their unique features and ability to connect users with a global audience. These apps offer a new form of social media that is more interactive and engaging than traditional platforms, and they have quickly gained a large following in the US. Despite concerns over data privacy and security, many young Americans continue to use these apps and enjoy the benefits they provide.
Tencent's online advertising revenue grew by 15% to 24.7 billion yuan, beating estimates and growing for the first time since Q2 2021, helped by growth in ads within its growing "video accounts" business. Video accounts sit within the WeChat messaging and social media app and are a way for individuals and businesses to share short videos and livestreams on the platform. Average monthly users of WeChat in China and overseas rose by 3.5% from a year ago to 1.31 billion accounts in Q4.