Twitter Hack Targets High Profile Users

The BBC and other news outlets are reporting a hack of Twitter accounts via an email change utility. The hacked accounts, including those belonging to Britney Spears and Barack Obama were used to post various false Twitters.

The Huffington Post has screenshots and further details, including the post made to the Fox News Twitter feed.

Twitter hacks present an interesting attack vector, as many Twitter users use TinyURL to post links, thereby potentially obscuring the location. In addition, most Twitter users believe that they know the person posting, leading to a higher default level of trust. A hacked Twitter account from a trusted source such as a news agency or a well known individual would be an excellent attack vector for future attacks.

Creative Commons image courtesy of carrotcreative.