Snapchat hack may have struck over 4 million users

A security breach for the messaging application may have affected millions of users .

16:31 02 January 2014

Snapchat has been forced to up its security following an attack by an anonymous group of hackers who compromised 4.6 million users' mobile numbers and usernames.

The breach came just days after the company announced safeguards to protect information.

Snapchat is a service which deletes messages after they are delivered as a type of quickfire, secret communication. The pictures sent are time-limited. However, some now believe that even though this information is deleted, it can still be accessed in the database.

The hackers posted the database on a website called SnapchatDB listing usernames and phone numbers of American users. The last two digits of the phone numbers were redacted.

The site posted a notice, claiming the stunt was to "raise awareness" over security. The statement read: "This information was acquired through the recently patched Snapchat exploit and is being shared with the public to raise awareness on the issue.

"The company was too reluctant at patching the exploit until they knew it was too late and companies that we trust with our information should be more careful when dealing with it.

"For now, we have censored the last two digits of the phone numbers in order to minimise spam and abuse."