Twitter Hacked

Hummm - maybe someone could hack into my twitter account and submit posts for me, because I'll never do it!

Scary to think that the best hackers are invisible... they just go in and get sensitive information and get out and you never know... I'm guessing these guys got caught because they posted things to those hacked accounts? (what is it the call them.. twits? :)). Although, it doesn't say that the hackers did post anything - anyone know if they did?

[edited by: Chico_Loco at 5:23 pm (utc) on Jan. 6, 2009]

Thx for the update engine... Scary but needed

The hackers did indeed post messages, including some fairly sardonic/satirical ones. Seems to be a pretty major security flaw in twitter though - it doesn't sound like it was restricted to the 33 accounts mentioned, either.

would this be a good time to remove credit card number from my profile?

I thought twitter was a place that you posted all your secrets.

I'd hate to be their webmaster right about now.

Twitter still exists?

On a more serious note, we all know everything can be hacked on the net, not because of poor systems but often because of human interactions: keyboard sniffers anyone? support tools, password reset tools...

I guess the best is to minimize the number of sites where you have credit card information, and full personal information.

Shhhh hugene, because Twitter exists and is in the limelight countless hacker wannabes are putting effort into attacking twitter... and not me or you. I tried Twitter like everyone else but reading countless twits posting twits like "getting in the shower now", "going out for a smoke" and "walking the dog" made me want to vommit. Does anybody really care?

Does anybody really care?

There is a big audience out there for this kind lifecasting. The more normal and mundane the info. the more people like. An anti big screen form of entertainment if you will, a backlash to TV which crams reams of important info into a 5 minute soundbite and radio commercials with some chump getting all there terms and conditions into 5 seconds worth of airtime.

I have even seen one devoted to the toilet in the bathroom with live dialog when the need arises.

A couple years from now, will anyone remember what Twitter was?

"a backlash to TV which crams reams of important info into a 5 minute soundbite and radio commercials with some chump getting all there terms and conditions into 5 seconds worth of airtime."

Actually, I think it's exactly the opposite. There are so many losers on TV reality shows who become celebrities for no good reason whatsoever just because they are repeatedly rammed down our throats. Now people think they can become celebrities just by going on and on about their lives until people think they're important too.

There are so many losers on TV reality shows who become celebrities for no good reason whatsoever just because they are repeatedly rammed down our throats. Now people think they can become celebrities just by going on and on about their lives until people think they're important too.

I blame Big brother (the TV show) for this, when it first started, there seemed to be decent people in it for a laugh, now it's like a gateway to 'instant' celeb status and who can be the craziest, it's an absolute joke

Seems like some people need or want to feel important and Twitter adds to that.

Hacking soclial networks, now there's something new and interesting. Watch out Facebook. (oh sorry, did I say interesting?)

Double dose of bad PR for Twitter. Hope they find a way to monetize soon.

With the rise of third party tools for Twitter and the Open Source of it all, I see this as the beginning of the end for many of those tools.

I could be wrong but, the way those third party tools work worries me a bit. That whole Social Media environment is too "Open" if you ask me. People give up their username/password freely in that environment so they can be Graded, Followed, Popularized, etc.

It's a large platform and they have a lot of users. This is nothing compared to what "could" happen. I say Twitter should take the API away. That is going to cut down on the security concerns quite a bit. Bring that stuff in house, start monetizing the platform, everyone else is!

P.S. While this discussion may not be concerning the API, I feel it is related.