After Facebook and Google, Twitter also has started warning message regarding state sponsored attack to some of its users — Alert urges users to use Tor.
In October this year, Facebook announced that it will soon start sending banner notifications to anyone whose account may have been compromised by the government or if Facebook suspects someone is trying to hack into it while the search engine giant Google has been sending similar alerts since 2012.
Now, Twitter is also sending alerts to the user whenever it detects an unusual activity on an account.
Attacks include stealing of………..
In previous years, Google and Facebook have been warning users regarding state-sponsored attackers gathering data against them like their email addresses, network connections and phone numbers. Now twitter is the latest but twitter doesn’t think the attackers are trying to steal account info of the users rather they believe the users should start using Tor to keeping their personal details secure.
User sharing how they got alerts and how Twitter is urging them to use Tor
A non-profit organization from Canada going with the handle of @Coldhakca uploaded a screenshot of an email they received from Twitter about suspected hacking attempt.
We received a warning from @twitter today stating we may be "targeted by state-sponsored actors" pic.twitter.com/oZm83eVFC5
— coldhak (@coldhakca) December 11, 2015
Runa Sandvik, going with the handle of @Runsand is a security researcher who shared an email in which Twitter advised her that she is one of a “small group of accounts that may have been targeted by state-sponsored actors. There are several other security and privacy researchers also reported receiving the email.
Just received this email from Twitter suggesting my account may have been targeted by state-sponsored actors. pic.twitter.com/QLcCzsHphw
— Runa Sandvik (@runasand) December 11, 2015
No clues so far
But, so far the country behind these attacks is hidden and for a security expert, there has been little to work on as there are no patterns in the attacks like some of the attacks discovered are against activists and some against security gurus which obviously doesn’t provide any links.
More questions than answers
Warnings from twitter have raised even more questions on internet security which is one of the hottest topics all over the world these days. But, users should do whatever the platforms are providing them for keeping their accounts secure and must not leave behind any loopholes from which they can be attacked.
Issues using Tor:
Tor works on Onion browser and it won’t be easy for every user to get onto Onion browser. However, the Tor messenger apps are also available on Android and iOS. Stay tuned with HackRead for upcoming articles on How to install Tor app on iOS and Android.