IN AN EMBARRASSING security breach for Twitter, around 130 high-profile accounts were hacked, and tweets from these accounts promised to double any Bitcoin you sent them. The scam managed to net about $115,000 of Bitcoin from the credulous before Twitter closed it down. The company called the scam a “coordinated social engineering attack.”
The number of targeted accounts hit has led to speculation that the perpetrators had help. A phishing trip may break into one account, but to gain access to so many at once isn’t easy without someone on the inside. One anonymous source who contacted the press claiming to be part of the attack said that the hackers had paid a Twitter employee for account access. Along with the fairly crude attempt to solicit money, some compromised accounts have also lost private direct messages. The scam has been called the “worst hack of a major social media platform yet.” It highlights how Twitter, which can reach millions in seconds, is vulnerable to misuse. Three people have been arrested for their part in the attack.