Microsoft Confirms Official X Account Was Hijacked to Promote Crypto Token
Summary
Microsoft confirmed attackers took over its X account, changed its profile image and promoted a Clippy-themed crypto token. The company removed the posts, secured the account and is investigating how access was gained.
Key points
- Microsoft confirmed unauthorized access to its official X account.
- Attackers changed the account’s profile picture to Clippy, followed a crypto account and reposted its message.
- The posts promoted a $Clippy token; an account impersonating Clippy was later suspended.
- An apology post was also unauthorized and did not originate from Microsoft.
- Microsoft removed the unauthorized posts, secured the account and is investigating.
- Microsoft has not disclosed how the attackers gained access; the article describes possible routes including phishing, SIM swapping, stolen session cookies and compromised social media tools.
Article Details
- Victim Organization
- Microsoft
- Incident Type
- Unauthorized takeover of Microsoft’s official X account, used to promote a Clippy-themed cryptocurrency account and token.
- Operational Impact
- The account’s profile picture was changed and unauthorized posts were made. Microsoft said it secured the account, removed the posts, and was investigating how access was gained.
- Claim Status
- confirmed