Investigation underway on deceptive tweet about fictitious White House blast
The Associated Press (AP) Twitter account was hacked yesterday afternoon, leading to a false emergency alert that caused a brief stock market panic. The hackers, who have been identified as the Syrian Electronic Army (SEA), sent a tweet about explosions in the White House and the injury of former President Barack Obama.
The SEA is a pro-Syrian government hacking group known for cyberattacks mostly targeting media organizations, opposition groups, and entities critical of the Syrian regime. They have been linked with various politically motivated hacks and online disinformation campaigns.
In 2013, the SEA also claimed responsibility for hacking the AP Twitter feed, a claim that was widely reported and accepted by various cybersecurity and news sources. The group asserted that they hacked the AP Twitter feed as a demonstration of their capabilities and to promote their political agenda.
While there is no publicly released independent forensic verification detailing the specific technical attribution to the SEA by agencies, the group itself took responsibility, and the attack's style and targeted messaging align with SEA’s previous operations. Security experts and major media outlets have generally credited the SEA with this hack based on their claims and contextual evidence.
The hacking of the AP Twitter account led to a drop in share prices in US markets, as indicated by the Dow Jones industrial average dropping 150 points. The Associated Press suspended both the compromised Twitter account and its AP Mobile account due to phishing attacks on its corporate network.
This incident is not an isolated case. In recent months, several other media organizations have been hacked, including CBS News, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post. The hacking of Twitter itself in February was described as "extremely sophisticated."
The FBI has opened an investigation into the hacking of the Associated Press's Twitter account. White House press secretary Jay Carney confirmed President Obama's safety in a press conference to the media.
As the cyber threats against media organizations continue to rise, it is crucial for these organizations to strengthen their security measures to protect their digital assets and maintain the integrity of their news reporting.
The Syrian Electronic Army (SEA), a pro-Syrian government hacking group with a history of politically motivated cyberattacks, has been linked to the hack of The Associated Press (AP) Twitter account. In 2013, the SEA claimed responsibility for a similar hack, and subsequent investigations by security experts and media outlets generally credited them with this latest attack.
This incident highlights the increasing threat of cybercrime against media organizations, underscoring the need for these organizations to strengthen their security measures to safeguard their digital assets and maintain the integrity of their general-news reporting, which can have far-reaching effects, as demonstrated by the stock market turbulence caused by the false AP emergency alert.
