Breaking: Viral Call Recording App ‘Neon’ Shuts Down After Exposing Users’ Phone Numbers, Call Recordings, and Transcripts

The viral call recording app Neon, which promised users financial compensation for their audio data to train AI models, has been abruptly taken offline following the discovery of a critical security flaw. TechCrunch reported that the vulnerability allowed any logged-in user to access the sensitive phone numbers, call recordings, and full transcripts of other users.

Neon, which had quickly become one of the top-five free iPhone apps since its launch last week and saw 75,000 downloads in a single day, pitched itself as an easy way for individuals to earn money by providing call recordings. However, TechCrunch’s investigation revealed that the app’s backend servers failed to properly secure data, making call recordings, their corresponding text transcripts, and call metadata (including participants’ phone numbers) publicly accessible via direct web links.

Upon notification by TechCrunch, Neon’s founder, Alex Kiam, confirmed the immediate shutdown of the app’s servers. While Kiam began informing users of a temporary pause, his communications notably omitted any mention of the severe security lapse or the exposure of highly personal data. The incident underscores significant privacy and security risks associated with rapidly scaling apps, particularly those handling sensitive user information. Apple and Google have yet to comment on the app’s compliance with their respective developer guidelines, leaving the future of Neon and its user data uncertain.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.