Koo app leaking sensitive user data, contends cyber expert; co-founder denies allegation

An internationally-renowned cyber expert has claimed that Koo, a microblogging website touted as an indigenous rival of Twitter on which several ministers of the Modi government have created accounts in a bid to snub Twitter, is not safe and has been leaking sensitive user data.

Robert Baptiste, who goes by the alias Elliot Alderson on Twitter, posted: ‘You asked so I did it. I spent 30 min on this new Koo app. The app is leaking of the personal data of his users: email, dob, name, marital status, gender.’

According to Alderson, who had earlier grabbed headlines after highlighting some vulnerabilities in the Aadhaar system, Koo “is leaking some sensitive details and it is possible that data of millions of users have already been leaked or scrapped, including data of Indian government departments and ministers who have joined the service.”

Anderson also shared the ‘Whois’ record for the domain name Kooapp.com, which purportedly shows that it is registered in China.

Koo’s co-founder and CEO Aprameya R has, however, denied the allegations and issued a clarification on Twitter:

Koo said, “Users enter their profile data on the app to be shared with others on the platform. That's what's displayed everywhere across the platform. While there have been false allegations of a data leak, it's just commonly called the public profile page for all users to view!”

It has also come to light that a Chinese firm, Shunwei, had made a small investment in the app. Shunwei is a venture capital fund, which invests in startups.

Reacting to this, Koo said: “Koo takes pride in being an Indian company with Indian founders and in being registered here. The recent investment in Bombinate Technologies Koo’s parent company was by Mohandas Pai of 3one4 Capital, an Indian investor. Shunwei, a single-digit shareholder that had invested in Vokal, another start-up of ours which answers user questions in Indian languages, will be exiting fully. Bombinate is the parent company of Vokal and Koo.”

Following Twitter’s refusal to block accounts of journalists, politicians, and activists tweeting on the farmers' protests, as demanded by the govt, a push is being made to promote the social media app in the name of being ‘Atmanirbhar’. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and other government departments have already created verified handles on Koo.

"I am now on Koo. Connect with me on this Indian micro-blogging platform for real-time, exciting and exclusive updates. Let us exchange our thoughts and ideas on Koo,” Union minister Piyush Goyal said on Twitter recently.

As per media reports, Koo saw three million downloads in the last 24 hours or so.