Welcome to WebmasterWorld Guest from 3.80.60.248
Forum Moderators: rogerd
Twitter Hacked [blog.twitter.com]
This morning we discovered 33 Twitter accounts had been "hacked" including prominent Twitter-ers like Rick Sanchez and Barack Obama (who has not been Twittering since becoming the president elect due to transition issues). We immediately locked down the accounts and investigated the issue. Rick, Barack, and others are now back in control of their accounts.The issue with these 33 accounts is different from the Phishing scam aimed at Twitter users this weekend. These accounts were compromised by an individual who hacked into some of the tools our support team uses to help people do things like edit the email address associated with their Twitter account when they can't remember or get stuck. We considered this a very serious breach of security and immediately took the support tools offline. We'll put them back only when they're safe and secure.
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]
joined:Jan 27, 2003
posts:2534
votes: 0
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.
joined:Oct 25, 2005
posts:498
votes: 0
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.
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.
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.