Twitter has recently fixed a vulnerability affecting the Android version of the app that let attackers access private Twitter data of a user.

“We recently fixed a vulnerability caused by an underlying Android Security issue with Android OS Versions 8 and 9. We don’t have evidence that it was exploited, but we're being cautious. Some of you on Android will be asked to update your Twitter app,” Twitter wrote from its Support account.

According to Twitter, the vulnerability lets an attacker install malicious apps on a user’s device. These apps can then enable them to access a user’s private Twitter Data including Direct Messages.

According to an official blog post, “96 per cent of people using Twitter for Android already have an Android security patch installed that protects them from this vulnerability.”

Safety measures

The microblogging platform said that it had updated Twitter for Android to prevent external apps from accessing its in-app data. It has installed additional safety measures “beyond OS protections.” It has also made it mandatory for people using the app on impacted OS versions to update the app with the security patch. It is also sending in-app notices to everyone who could have been vulnerable.

Twitter said that it is “identifying changes to our processes to better guard against issues like this.”