Spotify today rolled out a native direct messaging feature, Messages, for both Free and Premium users aged 16+ in select markets on mobile.
This long-awaited addition creates a dedicated in-app space to share tracks, podcasts, and audiobooks, supercharging word-of-mouth recommendations. However, security researchers warn that the new chat API could introduce attack vectors if not rigorously secured.
Launching August 26, 2025, Messages centralizes in-app sharing. Users tap the share icon in the Now Playing view, select a contact, and send content with text and emoji reactions.
Conversations live under the user’s profile menu, and Spotify suggests message recipients based on previous interactions—collaborative playlists, Jams sessions, or Family and Duo plans.
Under the hood, Messages relies on a RESTful API over HTTPS (TLS 1.3) with JSON Web Tokens (JWT) for session authentication.
Spotify enforces industry-standard encryption in transit and at rest, and proactive scanning for harmful or illegal content per its Terms of Use and Platform Rules.
Users can accept or reject message requests, block senders, or disable Messages entirely via Settings.
Messaging Feature
Potential Exploits
Security analysts caution that any messaging system introduces threats if not meticulously secured. Key risks include:
Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), if Spotify’s client fails to sanitize message fields properly, an attacker could inject JavaScript payloads that execute when the recipient views the chat.
Cross-Site Request Forgery (CSRF), an attacker could send spam or phishing links to the victim’s contacts.
Malicious code hosted on a phishing page might lure users to grant permissions via OAuth and capture their access tokens.
Spotify URIs could be replaced with attacker-controlled deep-link schemes that redirect users to malicious websites or prompt unintended app behavior.
Mitigation strategies include strict input validation, implementing SameSite=strict cookies, enforcing CSP headers, and rotating refresh tokens on suspicious activity.
As Messages continues its global rollout, both Spotify and its user base must balance seamless social sharing with rigorous security hygiene to ensure the chat feature remains a boon for discovery without becoming a vector for compromise.
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