Several days ago Snapchat acknowledged in a blog post that a security group had alerted it about a potential vulnerability "by which one could compile a database of Snapchat usernames and phone numbers."
That has apparently happened. Several websites including GigaOm and The Verge are reporting that 4.6 million usernames and phone numbers were posted as a downloadable database by so-far anonymous hackers. The site where the database was posted appeared to be down on Wednesday morning.
USA TODAY has reached out to Snapchat for comment.
Snapchat is a popular messaging app that lets users send each other photos that quickly disappear.
In its blog post of Dec. 27, Snapchat described how its Find Friends feature allows users to upload their contact lists to Snapchat as a way of linking up friends.
According to that post:
"Adding a phone number to your Snapchat account is optional, but it's helpful for allowing your friends to find you. We don't display the phone numbers to other users and we don't support the ability to look up phone numbers based on someone's username."The company said it had implemented safeguards making an exploit "more difficult to do."
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