Do security issues make the Hive platform unsafe to use?

Faced with Hive security issues, what should I do? Where to publish? Is there really a reliable solution?

Hive Social recently took its servers down after security researchers discovered serious vulnerabilities that put users’ personal data at risk. According to specialized company Zerforschung, these shortcomings are serious enough for hackers to get their hands on all the personal data of more than 2 million users of the platform, including names, email addresses, phone numbers and all messages, even deleted ones. evidence of such a hack, but the problem remains extremely serious.

Faced with Hive security issues, what should I do?

In response to the discovery of Zerforschung, the Hive Social team shut down their servers, shutting down the app completely, and the vulnerabilities were patched. A few days ago, Hive released an official statement (on Twitter, ironically) announcing that the app will be “offline for a few days while we fix this for a better and more secure experience.”At the time of this writing, she is still offline.

Hello everyone!?
The Hive team has become aware of security issues that affect the stability of our app and the security of our users. Fixing these issues will require temporarily shutting down our servers for a couple of days while we fix this for a better and more secure experience pic.twitter.com/wOgW7ga9xN

— Hive (@TheHIVE_Social) December 1, 2022

To be precise, Hive Social is run by a very small team that never expected such an influx of users after Elon Musk took over Twitter. Many features of Hive Social are still in development and even the Android app is still plagued by numerous bugs, but that is to be expected from such a small app.

That being said, these security issues confirm the concerns of some users. The app is still missing some important features like two-factor authentication, the android app is full of bugs, and it’s clear that servers need stronger security measures.

I hope Hive comes back stronger and safer. Personally, of the many Twitter alternatives out there today, Hive is my favorite, even with the Android app not working. But if you’re very serious about the security of your data, it’s best to avoid Hive for a while.

This doesn’t mean you have to switch to Post, Mastodon, or any other app to replace Twitter. Each has its own problems and shortcomings. Also, Hive’s security vulnerabilities are a lesson in why you shouldn’t fill in your personal information on a new, unverified app. But that doesn’t mean you should also trust Twitter.

A few days ago, we learned that millions of users’ personal data was compromised due to a massive security breach. But, unlike Hive, Twitter did not announce the hack or its intentions to fix the flaws. Elon Musk has shrunk the Twitter team significantly, but if Hive can handle its problems and solve them, so should a much larger, established company like Twitter.

But then where should you post?

The desire to jump ship Twitter is understandable. Twitter, like any social network, is a resource that many of us use in our personal and professional lives, but it is also a real nightmare that is in danger of complete collapse. And all this was before Elon Musk came to power. The billionaire only hastened things. So of course people want to publish somewhere else.

Unfortunately, while none of the newer apps are as safe and comprehensive, the safest option is to avoid those apps altogether and see which one or which one wins. However, this solution is not for everyone, so if you must use these applications, be very careful with your data. Use unique passwords with a password manager, limit the amount of personal data you give to these apps, and enable security options like two-factor authentication whenever possible.