Twitter hack due to human intervention not security loopholes

NEW DELHI: The recent Twitter hack was a result of human error or intervention rather than security loopholes in the company’s systems. Unlike usual cyber attacks, which exploit vulnerabilities in a platform’s code, hackers targeted employees of the company to get the same level of access that the latter have to Twitter’s system.

On 15 July, about Twitter accounts of 130 high-profile users were hacked, including those of Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Warren Buffet. Attackers asked users to transfer money to certain Bitcoin accounts, saying that these celebrities would double the amount.

An investigation by technology website Motherboard found that a Twitter insider may have been involved. The person had access to internal tools meant only for Twitter’s employees, and misused those to make posts from high profile accounts. However, other investigations haven’t been able to confirm whether an insider was involved, though it appears that insider accounts were definitely used.