Skip to main content

After 1 user was hacked, Spotify issues a patch

spotify luring new users with 1 dollar promotion tips
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If only one account is hacked and nobody knows about it, is it still a cyberattack? Spotify certainly thinks so. If one user’s information is compromised, that means all users are at risk. Immediately after realizing that one user’s account was hacked, Spotify alerted its users, issued an update, and allayed concerns about the teeny tiny breach.

Spotify reacted very quickly to nip the problem in the bud before the vulnerability was exploited to hack into more users’ accounts. The music-streaming service alerted the affected user quickly after the incident occurred. Luckily, Spotify says that the user’s password, financial information, and other sensitive personal data remained private during the hack. Although the company didn’t find any evidence that other users were at a higher risk in light of the small attack, it decided to take action.

Spotify told its 40 million active users about the breach in a blog post. The company said that users should change their passwords and that they would soon be prompted to sign back into their accounts as a precaution. Spotify also encouraged users of the Android app to install the new software update when asked in the coming days. It seems that users of the iOS and Windows Phone apps are safe from a similar attack, as only the Android app will receive an update. All the facts and frequently asked questions about the hack are available on Spotify’s website.

The new version of the app should protect Android users from future attacks, but it will require users to download all of their offline playlists again once the update is installed.  Although this may be a huge nuisance for some users, Spotify believes in the old adage that an ounce of prevention is a pound of cure.

Editors' Recommendations

Malarie Gokey
Former Digital Trends Contributor
As DT's Mobile Editor, Malarie runs the Mobile and Wearables sections, which cover smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and…
What is hi-res audio, and how can you experience it right now?
Dlyan Wireless Headphones

High-resolution audio, hi-res audio, or even HD audio -- whatever you decide to call it (for the record, the industry prefers "hi-res audio"), it's a catch-all term that describes digital audio that goes above and beyond the level of sound quality you can expect from a garden-variety MP3 file and even CDs. It was once strictly the domain of audiophiles, but now that major streaming music services like Apple Music, Amazon Music, Tidal, Deezer, and Qobuz have embraced it, almost everyone can take advantage of what hi-res has to offer.

But what exactly is hi-res audio? What equipment do you need to listen to it? Where can you download or stream it? And does it actually sound better? We've got the answers.
What does the term 'hi-res audio' mean?

Read more
How to download music from Spotify for offline listening
How to download music and podcasts from Spotify: The downloads folder.

If you're a Spotify Premium user paying that premium Spotify fee, chances are you've taken at least some time curating playlists, liking songs, and using the platform's easy-to-use (and recently revamped) user interface to discover new and old music.

But sometimes all that music or your favorite podcasts aren't available if you find yourself without an internet connection to stream them from — like on a long plane ride or weekend camping trip in the sticks. That's where Spotify's offline listening feature comes in handy, allowing you to download playlists, albums, and podcasts through its desktop and mobile apps so you can still rock out while you're off the grid.

Read more
How to switch from Spotify to Apple Music
Spotify and Apple Music transfer on a smartphone.

Spotify is the world's most popular music streaming service for a reason. It has a massive catalog of music and podcasts, is full of cool music discovery and sharing features, and is really easy to use.
However, with its recent price increase and the fact that it still hasn't joined most of its peers in offering a hi-res audio quality option, you may be considering jumping ship for its closest competitor, Apple Music, which counts lossless hi-res tracks, mind-bending spatial audio, Dolby Atmos Music tracks, and a catalog that rivals Spotify's among the many attractive reasons to switch.

But there's one problem: you’ve spent a lot of time creating playlists and marking songs and albums as your favorites in Spotify. Is it worth the switch? Will all that hard work be lost in translation?

Read more