The surge in high-profile Twitter account hacking has raised questions about the security protocols of X, formerly known as Twitter.
The recent security breaches involving the Twitter accounts of Vitalik Buterin, the Ethereum founder, and more recently, Donald Trump Jr., have highlighted a concerning pattern: Twitter users are not safe.
These security incidents are neither isolated nor the only ones to occur. Nevertheless, they undoubtedly emphasize the vulnerability of the platform’s users, who currently are over 368 million.
Escalating Concerns in the Twitter Account Hacking
This incident follows a string of Twitter account hacking cases, including the recent breach of Donald Trump Jr.’s account, where false information was disseminated, causing widespread speculation about a potential security breach.
Twitter, now under Elon Musk’s ownership, has faced a series of cyber attacks, downtime, and other technical issues.
Vitalik Buterin, fell victim to a Twitter account hacking incident, resulting in the hacker absconding with cryptocurrency valued at over $800,000.
Buterin’s X account, formerly Twitter, was compromised, during which a deceptive tweet was dispatched to his nearly five million followers, directing them to a malicious link.
The now-deleted tweet purportedly invited users to celebrate the arrival of Proto-Danksharding on the Ethereum platform, promising a free commemorative NFT called “Proto.”
However, those who clicked the link were led to a fraudulent site, where they were prompted to connect their wallets to claim the NFT, resulting in significant losses as their crypto funds were siphoned away.
Vitalik Buretin’s father was among the first to notice the suspicious activity on his son’s Twitter account.
He quickly advised followers to disregard the post, assuring them that Vitalik was working diligently to regain control of his compromised account.
Many others soon realized the link was malicious and refrained from engaging with it.
The method by which the hackers gained access to Buretin’s Twitter account is still under investigation, with possibilities ranging from SIM swapping to the involvement of an insider at X, reported Panda Security.
Fortunately, the account was restored within hours of the fraudulent tweet being posted. However, calls for Buretin to reimburse the victims have been met with silence from both him and Twitter.
More victims falling for Twitter account hacking
In a separate incident, actress and model Cara Delevingne expressed her disappointment with X’s response to her hacked account.
She vowed to delete her Twitter account, criticizing the platform’s handling of the situation and cautioning her followers about any suspicious activity originating from her account.
In a similar vein, Bollywood actor Govinda also reported a Twitter account hacking incident, asserting that a tweet posted from his account condemning violence in Haryana was not his own.
He claimed that his account had been compromised and suggested that he was the victim of a conspiracy. Govinda, who served as an MP between 2004 and 2009, expressed his intent to raise the matter with the Cyber Crime Police.
The Cyber Express reached out to X to inquire about the Twitter hacking incidents. However, at the time of writing this, the company had not issued an official statement or responded to our inquiry.
Notably, the company’s auto-reply function appeared to be malfunctioning, as we received an auto-reply from X stating, “Busy now, please check back later.”
The reply doesn’t seem to be any different from what Elon Musk had announced since he took over Twitter.
Earlier this year, the 52-year-old multi-billionaire announced that Twitter would automatically reply to journalists’ inquiries with a single poop emoji.
Media Disclaimer: This report is based on internal and external research obtained through various means. The information provided is for reference purposes only, and users bear full responsibility for their reliance on it. The Cyber Express assumes no liability for the accuracy or consequences of using this information.
