Twitter Breach Compromises More Than 5 Million Accounts
Table of Contents
- By Steven
- Published: Aug 03, 2022
- Last Updated: Aug 03, 2022
Early reports indicate Twitter might have suffered a massive data breach. It appears that between five and six million accounts were compromised in the attack. Let's take a closer look at the details of the Twitter breach.
How was the Hack Discovered?
The hack was revealed on an internet forum run by criminals. The hacking forum featured the stolen items for sale, presenting an opportunity for other digital miscreants to pay for sensitive information and use it for identity theft or other illegal purposes.
What Information Did the Hackers Steal?
It appears as though hackers stole Twitter user information ranging from phone numbers to email addresses and beyond. Aside from using the information for identity theft, hackers can also use it to generate fake online profiles that zero in on targeted individuals with phishing scams, spam email messages, and more.
When was the Hack First identified?
It also appears that the initial word of the attack came back in January of 2022. Rewind to the start of the year, and a notable contributor to an online hacking forum noted how Twitter was susceptible to attacks. Twitter's brass even went as far as admitting the potential for exploiting a bug.
It appeared as though Twitter's team remedied the issue after providing a bounty to the whistleblower. However, the attempt to repair the bug ultimately failed, exposing personal information, including the information of celebrities and high-profile businesses, to evildoers.
Is the Breach Comparable to Others?
Some who work in the digital security industry are comparing the nature attack and its results to the AT&T breach that occurred in 2021. The AT&T breach allegedly impacted 70 million customers, including celebrity customers though the company appears to deny that an attack of such a magnitude occurred.
What Will Become of the Stolen Data?
The stolen data will likely end up in the hands of criminals that extend well beyond the circle that initially stole the information. Some stolen data has already been spotted on web forums and black market online exchanges. One of those forum contributors insists that some of the stolen information about celebrity Twitter accounts are selling for around $30,000.
What is the Response From Twitter?
Twitter's public relations team recommends that users upgrade their digital protections. The company also contacted digital security services providers, including the likes of LifeLock and Norton, to heighten awareness of the attack and the certainty of the subsequent sale of the data on the web.
Twitter users have taken to the social media platform and other corners of the web to note that they have not received much assistance from Twitter, LifeLock, or Norton. The breach can prove especially damaging to the social media platform as it comes on the heels of Tesla head Elon Musk's announcement that he will back out of plans to purchase the company for more than $40 billion.
How can Twitter Users Protect Against the Hack and Similar Attacks?
Twitter users can proactively address the threat by updating their software and altering their password to one with at least eight letters, numbers, and special characters, ideally more. Twitter users and other computer users are also encouraged to bolster their digital defenses.
