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Gay Panic: Homo Hookup App Grindr Got Hacked

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Oh noes yous gays, Grindr has been hacked! Who would have thought that a casual hookup app might not be completely secure? "We are certainly aware of a lot of these vulnerabilities and ... they will be fixed as fast as humanly possible," the popular app's founder, Joel Simkhai, admitted.

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, a hacker down under has been accessing user's accounts, changing user's pictures, chatting and sending out photos. Also, at one point there was apparently a website (now down) which allowed folks "to search for any Grindr user regardless of their location, and capitalised on the vulnerabilities to offer other services not designed by the apps."

It appears that mostly Australian users were targeted in the hacks (of the more than one million Grindr users 100,000 live in Australia) but the app's vulnerabilities, which stemmed from very basic security precautions, existed worldwide. They also seem to be a problem for the company's far-less-fun straight-people friend app Blendr (Update: Grindr tells us that Belndr was not affected by the hack).

On the plus side for those worried about where their shirtless (or worse) photos might now be living... Grindr assures its users that their chats, where the really dirty pictures live since profile pics must be PG, are safe: "Not only can chat not be monitored, but since we don't store chat history on our servers there is no way anyone can access all past chat history."

Still freaked out about what might happen the next time Grindr loses its keys? Well, here's how to get them to permanently delete your account.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

Comments [rss]

  • NYC1978

    LOL. Grindr Sucks anyways

    Try using JACK'D, Its a MUCH better app 

  • I suppose since Grindr got hacked I'll use Gothamist - Single gay fat 44 year old guy d/d free seeking meaningful romance and relationship - hit me up: joeyboots@aol.com

  • cr17

    You had be up until "aol.com".

    But seriously, is Grindr for relationships? I thought it was just for tagging ass...

  • it's for both as one of the selections on what you are looking for is "relationship".......and fuck man i have had that aol addy since the mid-90's and everyone i know knows it so i kept it.

  • schmeep

    You had me up until "Joey Boots".

  • pendejito

    You had me up until "meaningful"

  • napalm2

    Just make sure you disclose your medical illnesses/STDs and aids virus prescriptions to others living the same lifestyle as yourself.

    Sure. As if that ever mattered in the first place, right?

  • you first you nasty carpet munching breeder. :>) xo

  • napalm2

    Breeder? Yes, normal I am.
    But if only your parents weren't.

    Now go indulge yourself in some of your poop eating activities.

  • thank you for showing your intellect - i'm sure you have a sloped forehead and a missing chromosome. - rock on caveman! :>) xo

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