Somewhat good news for Snapchat users, the company has finally updated their Android and iOS apps. The new versions bring security fixes and plug the holes that allowed millions of users’ accounts to be compromised last week.
After a known but ignored exploit was used to steal info from 4.6 million Snapchat accounts, the company took its time in addressing customer concerns. It finally did so today in a very small blog post where they announced the updated version of their apps and summarily say “sorry for any problems”.
The new app versions allow users to opt out of the "Find Friends" feature that was at the root of the problem.
While these updates are no doubt welcome, there are many who feel it’s a bit too late. The original exploit had been reported to the company months in advance by security researchers, but Snapchat failed to take any action and downplayed the threat.
The company, that’s valued between $3 and $4 billion, has a lot to answer for and today"s post will likely not be enough to appease its critics.