Snapchat is a mobile app which allows people to send smartphone photos or video clips timed to self-destruct 10 seconds or less after being opened.
The app has become hugely popular among teenagers who are easing away from Facebook.
However Snapchat's security has been called into question after hackers broke into the mobile app accessing the phone numbers and usernames of users and publishing them online.
The numbers were partially masked when they were briefly published on SnapchatDB.info, and the unidentified hackers were reported to have said they had done this "to convince the messaging app to beef up its security".
Following the data breach on SnapchatDB.info, the company's chief executive 23-year-old Evan Spiegel confirmed in a tweet that Snapchat is working with the police to manage the situation.
Get the latest headlines http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
Subscribe to The Telegraph http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=telegraphtv
Like us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/telegraph.co.uk
Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/telegraph
Follow us on Google+ https://plus.google.com/102891355072777008500/
Telegraph.co.uk and YouTube.com/TelegraphTV are websites of The Daily Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.
