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TikTok hackers break in to CNN after targeting ‘high-profile accounts’ in ‘zero day’ attack

Hackers targeted several high-profile TikTok accounts, including hotel heiress Paris Hilton’s — and planted malicious code on the official page of CNN, according to reports.

The malware is being spread throug🌼h TikTok via its direct messaging function,

The hack is a so-called “zero-day” attack — meaning that the hacker learned of the vulnerability before the software developers who thus have “zero days” to prevent it. Certain attacks are exploited through vulnerabilities that sometimes take the developers days or weeks to discover.

Paris Hilton’s official TikTok account fell victim to hackers, according to a report. Getty Images for The Wall Street Journal

CNN was forced to take dow🔥n its TikTok account for several days after a hacker broke into it last week,

A spokesperson for the Warner Bros. Discovery-owned news channel told Semafor that it was “working with TikTok on the backend on additional cybersecurity measures” to ensure that it will be safe in the run-up to this fall’s presidential election.

Semafor cited several CNN staffers as saying that the 🐈newsꦍ network had grown lax with its cybersecurity measures.

One CNN staffer told Semafor that dozens of their colleagꩲues𒅌 had access to the TikTok account.

But another network source told the site that the breach did not appear to be the result of someone gaining access from CNN’s end.

A TikTok spokesperson told The Post that Hilton’s account was targeted but not hacked.

“Our security team is aware of a potential exploit targeting a number of high-profile accounts,” the company rep said.

“We have taken measures to stop this attack and prevent it from happening in the future. We’re working directly with affected account owners to restore access, if needed.”

CNN was reportedly forced to shut down its official TikTok account as a result of the hack. REUTERS

The Post has sought comment from CNN and Hilton.

Last summer, TikTok acknowledged that as many as 700,000 accounts in Turkey had been compromised due to the company’s use of insecure methods of two-factor authentication.

In 2022, Microsoft researchers said they found a vulnerability in TikTok that allowed hackers o🍃vertake accounts with a single cli🦹ck.

American lawmakers have been suspicious of TikTok, the popular s✃ocial media app owned by Chinese ꦓtech conglomerate ByteDance.

President Biden signed into law a measure requiring TikTok’s Chinese-based parent company to divest of the app’s US operations — or face a ban. REUTERS

President Biden signed into law a measure requiring ByteDance to sell TikTok’s US operations due to concerns that Americans’ private data could wind up in the hands of the Chinese government.

ByteDance has until January to sell TikTok or face a US ban. The company, which has filed suit in court against the law, has denied claims its user data is at risk.