SafeUM
Home Blog Services Download Help About Recharge

Axarhöfði 14, 110 Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland - 2015
SafeUM
Blog
Services
Download
Help
About
Recharge
Menu
Archive
TOP Security!
14 Dec 2015

Twitter warns over potential state-sponsored hack

Twitter has issued its first ever warning about a possible hack by state-sponsored actors, as the social media site steps up its scrutiny of possible security breaches.

The alert highlights growing concern over hacking activity backed by foreign governments after a year in which high-profile cyber attacks included the breach of 22m personnel profiles at the US Department of Homeland Security.

Other companies such as Google and Facebook already have warning systems to alert users who may be targeted by state-sponsored hackers. Twitter sent a warning email to users who may have been affected, stating that the hackers may have been trying to obtain phone numbers, email addresses, and IP addresses. The social media company started collecting phone numbers from users earlier this year.

State-sponsored hackers are the most sophisticated and well-resourced hackers. They often use cyber attacks to conduct espionage or steal intellectual property. However most Twitter posts are public, suggesting the hackers may have been more interested in obtaining personal data such phone numbers, or finding a way to tweet through hijacked accounts.

Some of the users who tweeted about receiving the notice on Friday were cryptographers, security researchers, activists or journalists. Many reacted on Twitter with surprise — and a sense of humor. “Remember the day when ‘state-sponsored actors’ meant the national performing arts company doing Shakespeare in the park?,” wrote user Mark Wodrich, whose profile states he is a “software security geek”.

Twitter said “a small group of accounts” was affected, adding that the company was still investigating. A Twitter poll found that 20 per cent of respondents had received the email about the state-sponsored attack, based on 46 users who responded to the survey from Twitter user Stribika. Twitter has alerted users about security breaches before, such as in 2013 when it emailed more than 200,000 users to alert them their Twitter passwords and email addresses may have been stolen.

Twitter confirmed that it had sent the email about state-sponsored actors, declining to comment further. One prominent example of state-sponsored hacks is the work of the Syrian Electronic Army, which has previously targeted newspaper accounts and used them to broadcast false news. The Syrian Electronic Army is a group of hackers who support the Syrian president, and have also targeted Skype and major newspaper websites.

Tags:
Twitter information leaks surveillance
Source:
Financial Times
2151
Other NEWS
3 Jul 2020 safeum news imgage An encrypted messaging service has been infiltrated by police
4 May 2020 safeum news imgage Two-Factor Authentication ​What Is It and Why You Should Use It
12 Dec 2019 safeum news imgage Encryption is under threat - this is how it affects you
4 Nov 2019 safeum news imgage Should Big Decisions Be Based on Data or Your Intuition?
7 Jun 2018 safeum news imgage VPNFilter malware infecting 500,000 devices is worse than we thought
4 Jun 2018 safeum news imgage Hackers target Booking.com in criminal bid to steal hundreds of thousands from customers
1 Jun 2018 safeum news imgage Operator of World's Top Internet Hub Sues German Spy Agency
30 May 2018 safeum news imgage US says North Korea behind malware attacks
29 May 2018 safeum news imgage Facebook and Google targeted as first GDPR complaints filed
25 May 2018 safeum news imgage A new reason to not buy these cheap Android devices
24 May 2018 safeum news imgage Flaws in smart pet devices, apps could come back to bite owners
23 May 2018 safeum news imgage Google sued for 'clandestine tracking' of 4.4m UK iPhone users' browsing data
21 May 2018 safeum news imgage LocationSmart reportedly leaked phone location data onto the web
18 May 2018 safeum news imgage The SEC created its own scammy ICO to teach investors a lesson
17 May 2018 safeum news imgage Thieves suck millions out of Mexican banks in transfer heist
All news
SafeUM
Confidential Terms of Use Our technologies Company
Follow us
Download
SafeUM © Safe Universal Messenger

Axarhöfði 14,
110 Reykjavik, Iceland

Iceland - 2015