Latest news with #Firebase
Time Business News
19 hours ago
- Time Business News
12 Hacks to Speed Up App Development Smartly
Creating an app can take time, but it doesn't always have to. If you know what tools to use and plan things out early, you'll move faster. A few smart tricks go a long way. You don't need to build everything from scCreating an app can take time, but it doesn't always have to. If you know what tools to use and plan things out early, you'll move faster. A few smart tricks go a long way. You don't need to build everything from scratch. This post shares real tips to speed up app development. These are technology hacks people actually use—simple stuff that works. Before jumping into coding, pause and plan. A well-structured roadmap reduces delays later on. What to include: Define goals and features. Choose your platform (Android, iOS, Web). List the required tools and skills. Plan for testing and updates. This saves you from constant changes, backtracking, or team confusion. Templates help developers skip the basics and focus on core features. They come with pre-designed layouts and functions you can tweak. Why this works: Faster front-end design. Built-in responsive layouts. Fewer bugs in common UI components. You'll find quality templates for React Native, Flutter, Swift, and more. This technology hack alone can save weeks. Building for Android and iOS separately doubles your work. Cross-platform development tools let you create one app that runs everywhere. Popular options: Flutter React Native Xamarin Using these means less time coding and fewer updates later on. If you're in a rush, this approach is a no-brainer for app development. Not every app needs complex coding. Low-code and no-code platforms make development faster by offering drag-and-drop tools and pre-set logic. Examples: Glide Bubble Appgyver OutSystems They're great for building MVPs or internal tools, especially when time and budget are limited. Testing is crucial, but manual testing slows you down. Automated testing tools help detect issues as you build. Use tools like: Appium Selenium Jest TestProject These tools run tests continuously, so you catch bugs early. It also helps during app updates, avoiding last-minute crashes. If you're working in a team, managing code changes is vital. Version control tools like Git and CI/CD pipelines like Jenkins or GitHub Actions automate builds and deployments. Why it helps: Avoids code conflicts. Streamlines collaboration. Auto-deploys after tests pass. This technology hack keeps teams in sync and your app moving forward. Don't experiment halfway through your project. Choose tools that match your app's needs, not just trends. Examples: MERN stack for scalable web apps. Flutter + Firebase for quick mobile apps. Django + PostgreSQL for secure backend systems. This saves time and prevents future rebuilds or migrations. Building features like maps, payment, or chat from scratch takes too long. Instead, plug in third-party APIs or SDKs. Popular APIs: Stripe for payments Twilio for SMS Firebase for login and storage Google Maps for location These tools are stable, fast to set up, and highly secure. Agile methodology is built for fast-moving projects. Instead of doing everything at once, break tasks into short sprints. Benefits of Agile: More control over progress. Easier to adjust based on feedback. Focused development in shorter cycles. Sprints keep everyone on the same page and help track real progress. Skipping wireframes often leads to messy apps and endless revisions. Use Figma, Adobe XD, or Sketch to plan your app before development begins. Why wireframes matter: Clarify user flow. Get team feedback early. Prevent wasted effort on unwanted features. This app development practice improves clarity and saves time later. Tracking tools let you see how users interact with your app. Implementing them early helps you adjust quickly before full release. Top tools: Firebase Analytics Mixpanel Amplitude These insights help you remove clutter, improve UX, and reduce churn—fast. Remote teams work faster with the right tools. Use cloud-based platforms for communication, planning, and documentation. Suggested tools: Trello for task tracking Slack for messaging GitHub for code versioning Notion for docs Cloud tools keep workflows efficient and aligned, especially for distributed teams. Speed matters in software. But it's not about rushing—it's about working smarter. Using technology hacks like templates, APIs, automated tests, and Agile methods will keep your app on track and ready for launch. Fast app development is possible when you combine strategy, the right tools, and time-saving techniques that modern developers trust. Q: How can I reduce mobile app development time? Use templates, cross-platform tools, and automate testing to reduce manual work and shorten the development cycle. Q: What's the fastest way to build an MVP app? Use a low-code or no-code platform with ready-made components and third-party APIs. Q: Should I use Agile even for small projects? Yes, Agile works well for teams of any size. It helps focus and avoid scope creep. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Forbes
2 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
If The Banks Will Not Deliver Digital Identity, Perhaps Crypto Will
US President Donald Trump leaves after signing the GENIUS Act (Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for US Stablecoins Act) on July 18, 2025. (Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP) (Photo by BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images I had not heard of Tea, an app for women who want to share information about the poor behaviour of a subset of men, until it the platform suffered from two major data leaks. First, an unprotected Firebase database containing users' personal information was breached and then a second database containing 1.1 million personal messages exchanged by the users was opened up. This meant that torrents of the leaked data (users' driver's licenses, selfies, and message attachments) were spewed across the web. Why was the web site storing this personal information? Well, it is because of the sign-up process, which required people to take selfies to prove their identity. This typical example of a breach and real damage reminded me that across tradfi and defi, the need for a population-scale privacy-enhancing digital identity infrastructure is evident. But how? The White House has just released its report on digital assets. The report, called 'Strengthening American leadership in digital leadership in digital financial technology' identifies digital identity as key infrastructure and has a section on 'Advancing Privacy Through Digital Identity and Related Tools' that Treasury should consider issuing guidance to financial institutions on how they can utilise digital identity solutions within their existing customer identification programs. I saw an article in American Banker titled 'Banks should take the lead in developing a trusted digital ID system' (and I agree), but as yet Americans do not have any bank-issued digital identity, so it is interesting to see if the crypto world might advance the state of the art. Identity is a problem. © Helen Holmes (2022) The Bitcoin Policy Institute (BPI) has just published a report called 'Building a Trustworthy Digital Future: Digital Identity in the Land of the Free' which calls identity the 'layer zero for participating in modern life' while simultaneously calling attention to the 'fractured' nature of digital identity in America and noting the escalating scale of identity fraud. (Indeed, while I was reading it noticed an all-too-typical report that hackers obtained the personal information of a majority of insurance firm Allianz Life's 1.4 million customers in North America.) It is an interesting report and I urge you to read it, but for now I will simply highlight that it (correctly) identifies tried-and-test cryptographic solutions such as digital signatures and verifiable credentials as the way forward. The report favours the use of decentralised identifiers that are 'wholly controlled' by individuals – something I am not entirely convinced about, since it is not at all clear to me that individuals (eg, me) have the persistent competence necessary to exercise this control — and the use of selective disclosure to enhance privacy. The Ethereum world is facing the same problem and Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder and a is a very smart guy, has just put forward a proposal for an 'inclusive" digital identity model with interest. He suggests that we meet the challenges of identity verification in the digital age by creating a decentralized system that allows individuals to control their own digital identities. This might be a good - but what does good look like in the world of population-scale digital identity? Buterin's proposal emphasizes the importance of pluralistic identity systems, which enhance privacy and support the capability to maintain several digital identities. This approach is seen as crucial in an era where digital interactions increasingly require reliable and private identifications. The initiative suggests that digital ID systems should avoid a one-per-person model that heightens surveillance and reduces pseudonymity. Existing systems, such as those in the European Union, were referenced to illustrate the need for zero-knowledge proof applications. He then goes on to discuss the Sam Altman-backed World ID. This uses iris biometics to distinguish individuals. Instead of storing the biometric, or the biometric template, they break up the template into encrypted pieces stored in different places. Working in a field known as secure multi-party computation (SMPC), they have applied cryptographic smarts to use the iris templates (known as "iris codes') to enable them to determine an individual's uniqueness without creating a biometric honeypot for fraudsters. Privacy is enhanced because an application-specific ID is actually a hash that takes in the application ID and a session ID so that, for example, your bank ID and your airline ID cannot be linked without your permission. The White House report says that Treasury should ensure that future guidance balances secure identity verifications with protection of personally identifiable information. I see no need for balance: I think Americans should expect both security and privacy and the pluralistic approach is a way to achieve this. You can have a pseudonymous identity (or even multiple identities), and each of those identities can build up reputation in their communities through their actions. An ideal explicit pluralistic identity system may not even need to have the concept of discrete identities at all, only discrete reputations that can be cryptographically-proved on demand. With banks doing nothing, then, perhaps it will be the crypto world that will rise to meet this challenge by using new technology to bring a new approach to the problem of identity in the new economy. And if they do, the benefits will spread far beyond the worlds of fintech and defi, payments and exchanges, because this new approach to identity is needed across the economy as whole. There was no reason for Tea to know any of their user's personally identifiable information. In a sane world, when asked to created an account at Tea a citizens could use their (let us imagine) Zelle ID. They would then be redirected to their bank, which would not know which web site the request had some from, and required to log in. Their bank could then send back an identifier (different for each request, of course, so that your Tea-ID and your Walgreens-ID would be different) and a verifiable credential attesting to the fact that the user is over 18. This is all Tea needs to store in its database alongside the username. When the hackers get in, they will find that user 'Daphne-Whitethigh' is Ted-id XXXX and has an IS-OVER-18 credential signed by Wells Fargo, the Department of Motor Vehicles, the US Treasury or whoever. They will learn no personal information about the citizen behind the identity whatsoever. We need actual security, and we need actual privacy to go with it.
NDTV
30-07-2025
- NDTV
Tea App Hacked: A Second Data Breach Exposes Private Chats Of Over 1 Million Women
The data breach at Tea, the viral app that allows women to share "red flags" or feedback about men they have dated, was bigger than initially reported. Last week, the app acknowledged that it had experienced a data breach of about 72,000 images, including users' photos and IDs. Now, it is being reported that more than 1.1 million private messages between users have also been exposed online. These messages included highly personal conversations where women discussed issues like cheating partners, abortions and even shared phone numbers to take conversations off the platform. Security researcher Kasra Rahjerdi discovered the latest breach and shared his findings with 404 Media. He revealed that the exposed chats date back to early 2023 and go up to as recent as last week. Mr Rahjerdi told Business Insider that he accessed Tea's app data using an app development platform called Firebase. This led to the discovery of the messages database. Mr Rahjerdi said he was able to access more than 1.1 million private messages between Tea's users, including "intimate" conversations about topics such as divorce, abortion, cheating, and rape. Some chats included details such as phone numbers and locations to meet up, he said. This has raised concerns about the safety of users, especially since these private conversations were assumed to be protected. A Tea spokesperson also confirmed the latest breach, saying the company "recently learned that some direct messages (DMs) were accessed as part of the initial incident". "Out of an abundance of caution, we have taken the affected system offline," the spokesperson said. "We are working to identify any users whose personal information was involved and will be offering free identity protection services to those individuals," the Tea spokesperson told Business Insider. The company also informed its users on Monday that DMs were accessed in the breach, adding that the app's DM feature was "temporarily unavailable". An investigation involving external cybersecurity experts and the FBI is ongoing, the company stated. Notably, the latest breach comes days after it was reported that a data breach at Tea exposed thousands of user-submitted images online. Around 72,000 images were compromised in the breach. Of these, around 13,000 were selfies or verification images, including photo identification submitted during account setup, a Tea spokesperson said. An additional 59,000 images, publicly visible within the app's ecosystem, including posts, comments and direct messages, were also accessed without permission, they added. "Tea has engaged third-party cybersecurity experts and are working around the clock to secure its systems. At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that additional user data was affected," the company said in a statement. Tea is a women-exclusive platform based in the US, allowing users to discuss their dating experiences anonymously. On Tea's website, it says it has a "community of over 4,647,000 women".
Tom's Guide
29-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
Tea app shuts down messaging following second data breach after government IDs and user selfies exposed online
The problems with the data leak at the Tea app have grown since the initial news broke last week and now include two data exposure incidents that put the personal info of thousands of users at risk online. So what happened with the app that suddenly sprang into the number one position on the App Store and then suddenly into the spotlight for problems and user issues? We break down everything you need to know about the infamous Tea app below. The Tea app is a women-only dating app that acts as a safety platform. Its users share anonymous reviews about men they've dated or are dating and have conversations about them. In order to start a membership, users must submit a selfie and a government issued ID for verification. The Tea app recently became the top free app in the App Store for iOS users and has 2 million downloads; it's also has top Google Play Store rankings as well. It has gotten enough notoriety that people on 4chan were calling for it to be hacked, according to reporting on The New York Times. Although the event is not technically a 'breach' per se, according to various reports including one from BGR , a leak occurred on Friday, July 25. The Tea app and website were untouched but an unsecured database of thousands of online records were leaked across various websites after an anonymous 4chan user pointed out that the app uses an unsecured Firebase storage bucket to house the IDs, selfies, photos and images uploaded by users. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. That user additionally shared a Python script that could be used to download the data from the storage bucket which has since been secured. Altogether over 59GB of data was exposed which includes: 72,000 images included 13,000 selfies and identification images submitted by users, as well as 59,000 images from posts, comments and direct messages. Location data could be obtained from some of these images too. Tea confirmed in a public statement that this initial leak affected users who had signed up before February 2024, calling it a 'legacy storage system,' and confirming that no email addresses or phone numbers were exposed. The company behind the app then went onto explain that the selfies could not be deleted as they were stored in order to comply with law enforcement requirements related to cyber-bullying prevention. However, this leaked data – which has now been shared across various hacking forums – not only exposes the app's members to a variety of phishing and social engineering attacks but also stalking and humiliation. This secondary breach contains an additional database of 1.1 million private messages sent between users on the platform and includes more recent data – from 2023 to just last week – as well as messages on sensitive topics. According to the reporting from 404 media, it would be possible to identify users based on their social media profiles, phone numbers or other personal information that wass revealed in these messages. Tea says it is continuing to work with law enforcement in order to assist with the investigation and in a statement to Bleeping Computer, the company stated that that some direct messages (DMs) were also accessed as part of the first incident. Likewise, Tea confirmed that it has now taken the affected messaging systems offline, though they have found no additional evidence of access to any other parts of its systems. Tea added that they were working to identify users whose personal information was involved and they would be offering free access to the best identity protection theft services to affected individuals. Tea has also encouraged users who have questions to reach out to them via support@ for more information. Tea users should also consider replacing their IDs, freezing their credit, and carefully monitoring all of their online accounts. Additionally, users should be aware of the signs of a phishing or social engineering attack and be wary of any unexpected links or attachments in emails or texts, especially those from unknown senders. Be wary of anyone who attempts to contact you through social media, and anyone who asks for personal information. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Business Insider
28-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Private messages on Tea, the anonymous dating advice app, were exposed in a recent data breach
The data breach at Tea, the viral app that allows women to post anonymous reviews of men, was bigger than initially reported and included private messages. Last week, the app acknowledged that it had experienced a data breach of about 72,000 images, including users' photos and driver's licenses. Now, a Tea spokesperson tells Business Insider that the company "recently learned that some direct messages (DMs) were accessed as part of the initial incident." "Out of an abundance of caution, we have taken the affected system offline," the spokesperson added. Security researcher Kasra Rahjerdi told BI that he was able to access more than 1.1 million private messages between Tea's users, including "intimate" conversations about topics like divorce, abortion, cheating, and rape. Some chats included details like phone numbers and locations to meet up, Rahjerdi said. The chats were from February 2023 through July 2025. 404 Media first reported on Rahjerdi's findings. Rahjerdi told BI that he accessed Tea's app data using Firebase, an app development platform. Rahjerdi said he was able to access real-time data until about 4 a.m. ET on July 26th. It's not clear if others had accessed this data with the intent to leak or otherwise use it. Rahjerdi said Tea "did do a lot of really good security stuff on the code they wrote themselves," describing the company's own API as "very secure." The problem was that Tea used Firebase to store its data, Rahjerdi said, adding that Tea "didn't do the same work there." "We are working to identify any users whose personal information was involved and will be offering free identity protection services to those individuals," the Tea spokesperson said. Before news of its data breach broke on Friday, the app had soared to the top of the Apple App Store last week, hitting the top spot. On Monday, it was No. 2 on the chart. On Tea's website, it says it has a "community of over 4,647,000 women." In addition to anonymously reviewing men with "red" or "green" flags, the app also lets women seek dating advice and access tools like background checks.
