How TikTok tracks you, in a nutshell
Seven steps show how an ordinary TikTok account, the data brokers behind it and a few shared Wi-Fi networks turn everyday activity into a personal profile.
Swiss Data Centres
Your data remains exclusively yours. As a partner of Infomaniak Network SA, DIGITALABS protects your information through proprietary solutions that prioritise confidentiality, integrity and security.
Entirely located in Switzerland, Infomaniak places your data outside the jurisdiction of the United States and China, ensuring maximum sovereignty and neutrality.
Legal Framework & Compliance:
Our specialists conduct on-site security assessments for private clients and SMEs: operational environment analysis, tailored solutions that strengthen web platforms and IT infrastructure.
With over 49 million downloads according to its official counter and nearly 43% of websites worldwide, WordPress remains the dominant CMS: roughly 60% of the market. This ubiquity makes it a prime target for cyberattacks the moment a site falls out of date. Open source technologies offer flexibility but demand periodic updates and proactive maintenance.
Contextual Analysis: ISS
DIGITALABS advises on Information Systems Security (ISS) and web platform security: back-end, front-end, databases, IoT ecosystems. We also train teams in cybersecurity to reduce threat exposure.
Vulnerability Identification
The context of an IT project strongly influences its security posture.
Wordfence Threat Intelligence delivers real-time data on global cyberattacks: exploits, brute force, malware, blocked vulnerabilities. A clear case for continuous protection and monitoring. View the statistics from:
When web applications are at the core of a business, strict security protocols must be followed:
- Modular and maintainable source code
- Database integrity and encryption
External access points in web portals:
- Contact forms
- Login or registration interfaces
- Password recovery systems
- External access to sensitive data
Forms are frequent targets. Unsecured URLs can also expose critical information, enabling retrieval of credentials or confidential documents.
High-quality source code is essential, but it is integrating security best practices from the earliest development stages that most effectively prevents intrusions.
The stronger the security, the greater the constraints, for both users and developers. Strategies must focus on what truly needs to be protected.
Single-Factor Authentication (SFA)
Relies on a single credential (username and password) to verify identity. Despite strict policies, this method remains vulnerable to:
- Phishing attacks
- Credential leaks
- Human error
Why 2FA Matters
To reliably verify who is performing an action online, smartphones now serve as the most secure identifier:
- Personal ownership: users rarely lose or lend their phone
- Built-in biometric security: Face ID, fingerprint
- Enhanced authentication: reduced password dependency
Authentication: SFA vs 2FA
2FA Authentication Principles
01
Something you KNOW
Username, password, PIN code.
02
Something you HAVE
Smartphone, OTP device, security key.
03
Something you ARE
Biometric factor: fingerprint, retinal scan, voice recognition.
Combining these layers ensures a multi-factor defence against unauthorised access and data breaches.
Cybersecurity is a continuous process. By combining secure infrastructure, robust encryption, reliable authentication and proactive monitoring, DIGITALABS builds resilient and compliant digital ecosystems with its clients.
Access security no longer relies solely on a password. Authentication methods have evolved: each offers a different level of protection and varying guarantees on digital sovereignty.
This table incorporates the Swiss dimension, local hosting and independence from foreign infrastructure as a selection criterion in its own right.
Authentication
Security and Digital Sovereignty
| Method | What you do | How it works | Security | Sovereignty (CH) | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIDO2 Hardware Key (Fast IDentity Online) | Plug in or tap the key | Physical device confirms login via open standard | ★★★★★ | Yes open standard, no cloud | High value accounts, critical access |
| Passkeys | Face ID, Touch ID or device PIN | Device proves your identity without a password (FIDO2 and WebAuthn standards, Web Authentication) | ★★★★★ | Depends on provider (e.g. Proton Pass: Yes) | Best available option - recommended |
| TOTP Authenticator App (Time-based One-Time Password) | Enter a 6-digit code | App generates a new code every 30 seconds (open standard) | ★★★★ | Yes (e.g. Proton Authenticator, Aegis) | Robust, compatible with most services |
| Password Manager | Autofill credentials | Generates and stores unique, complex passwords | ★★★★ | Yes (e.g. Proton Pass, self hosted Bitwarden) | Essential for all accounts |
| Backup Codes | Use a saved code | One time codes generated when 2FA is activated | ★★★ | Yes if stored offline | Emergency access only print and store securely |
| Push Notification | Tap "Approve" | App requests confirmation on your device | ★★★ | No (mostly Big Tech applications) | Convenient but vulnerable to push bombing |
| Magic Link | Click a link received by email | Passwordless login via single use, time limited link | ★★★ | Depends on email provider | Occasional access, simple client portals |
| Email Code | Enter the code received by email | One time code sent to your inbox | ★★ | Depends on provider (Proton Mail: Yes) | Acceptable fallback method |
| OAuth Social Login (Open Authorization) | "Sign in with Google / Apple" | A third party account signs you in via OpenID Connect: single point of failure | ★★ | No, US infrastructure, third party account required | Avoid for sensitive access |
| SMS Code | Enter the code received by SMS | Text message code, vulnerable to SIM swapping and SS7 attacks | ★★ | No, telecom infrastructure | Legacy only, replace as soon as possible |
Our Recommendation
The right choice depends on what you want to protect and the level of protection you need. A FIDO2 key offers the strongest security, but few people use one day to day: it is mainly justified for the most critical access.
For critical accounts, prioritise FIDO2 or passkeys; for everything else, a password manager combined with a free TOTP authenticator app that works with most services, for example Proton Authenticator or Synology Secure SignIn. For Infomaniak accounts, the free Infomaniak Authenticator app approves a sign-in with a single tap on your phone. Avoid SMS and social logins when your data sovereignty matters.
Concrete examples
- FIDO2 (Fast IDentity Online): a small USB key you plug in or hold near your phone to access your website administration or the management of your domain names.
- Passkey: sign in to a service the way you unlock your phone, with your fingerprint or face, without typing a password.
- TOTP (Time-based One-Time Password): after your password, enter the 6-digit code shown by an app on your phone, for example to open your mailbox.
- OAuth (Open Authorization): the “Sign in with Google” button. Convenient, but if that account is hacked or blocked, every service that depends on it becomes inaccessible.
Secure Your Infrastructure
Our experts assess your needs and implement tailored protection solutions.