Twitter Hackers Serving Up Extra Large Combos with Burger King

Twitter Hackers Serving Up Extra Large Combos with Burger King

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Mar 11, 2013

Wouldn’t it be nice to log into Twitter and see an extra 60,000 followers? That’s exactly what happened to Burger King: people began following their account by the tens of thousands. Were they giving away Whoppers? Nope. Hmmm, something seemed a little fishy…fishier than Burger King’s Premium Alaskan Fish Sandwich. Where did all these new followers come from?

Come to find out, Burger King’s Twitter account had been hacked. Before their account was compromised, Burger King had about 50,000 followers but after being hacked, the followers increased to more than 110,000.

It was unclear who was responsible for the hack, but it did demonstrate how quickly a company’s outreach to their loyal fans can turn into an embarrassing situation. At one point, Burger King’s profile message said that they had been sold to McDonald’s, obviously a direct competitor, because the Whopper, Burger King’s flagship sandwich, had flopped.

At another point during the account hacking, McDonald’s tweeted: “We empathize with our @BurgerKing counterparts. Rest assured, we had nothing to do with the hacking.”

So, how did the hijacking happen? To my knowledge, no official reports have been released; however, remember how Twitter is accessed with a username and password? Well, if a person’s computer is infected with malicious software, it is easy for hackers to hijack accounts. Not saying that this is what happened, but it could be one plausible explanation.

Other social media platforms (Facebook and YouTube) offer two-factor authentication, providing greater security because it requires something in addition to a password, like a code sent by text message to a registered mobile device. If Twitter had this type of authentication, hackers would have been forced to get past two layers of security instead of only one.

We may never know the truth as to how or who actually hacked into Burger King’s Twitter account; however, one truth we do know is social media security is a huge issue that can cause major problems.

(Reference: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57569911/burger-king-twitter-hacked-posting-under-mcdonalds/) 

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • It's Show Time

    I am one of those people that likes to see things get bigger and better. As advertised, ISC West is going to be bigger (more exhibitors) and better (more attendees). It’s show time in Las Vegas. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

  • SIA Releases New Report on Operational Security Technology

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has released an impactful new resource – Operational Security Technology: Principles, Challenges and Achieving Mission-Critical Outcomes Leveraging OST. Read Now

  • Cyber Overconfidence Is Leaving Your Organization Vulnerable

    The increased sophistication of cyber threats pumped by the relentless use of AI and machine learning brings forth record-breaking statistics. Cyberattacks grew 44% YoY in 2024, with a weekly average of 1,673 cyberattacks per organization. While organizations up their security game to help thwart these attacks, a critical question remains: Can employees identify a threat when they come across one? A Confidence Gap survey reveals that 86% of employees feel confident in their ability to identify phishing attempts. But things are not as rosy as they appear; the more significant part of the report finds this confidence misplaced. Read Now

  • Mission 500 Debuts Refreshed Identity Ahead of Security 5K/2K at ISC West

    Mission 500, the security industry’s nonprofit charity dedicated to supporting children in need across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico, has unveiled a refreshed brand identity ahead of ISC West. The charity’s new look includes a modernized logo with refined messaging to reinforce Mission 500’s nearly decade-long commitment to serving the needs of children and families in crisis. Read Now

    • Industry Events
Most   Popular

New Products

  • Mobile Safe Shield

    Mobile Safe Shield

    SafeWood Designs, Inc., a manufacturer of patented bullet resistant products, is excited to announce the launch of the Mobile Safe Shield. The Mobile Safe Shield is a moveable bullet resistant shield that provides protection in the event of an assailant and supplies cover in the event of an active shooter. With a heavy-duty steel frame, quality castor wheels, and bullet resistant core, the Mobile Safe Shield is a perfect addition to any guard station, security desks, courthouses, police stations, schools, office spaces and more. The Mobile Safe Shield is incredibly customizable. Bullet resistant materials are available in UL 752 Levels 1 through 8 and include glass, white board, tack board, veneer, and plastic laminate. Flexibility in bullet resistant materials allows for the Mobile Safe Shield to blend more with current interior décor for a seamless design aesthetic. Optional custom paint colors are also available for the steel frame.

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions.

  • Luma x20

    Luma x20

    Snap One has announced its popular Luma x20 family of surveillance products now offers even greater security and privacy for home and business owners across the globe by giving them full control over integrators’ system access to view live and recorded video. According to Snap One Product Manager Derek Webb, the new “customer handoff” feature provides enhanced user control after initial installation, allowing the owners to have total privacy while also making it easy to reinstate integrator access when maintenance or assistance is required. This new feature is now available to all Luma x20 users globally. “The Luma x20 family of surveillance solutions provides excellent image and audio capture, and with the new customer handoff feature, it now offers absolute privacy for camera feeds and recordings,” Webb said. “With notifications and integrator access controlled through the powerful OvrC remote system management platform, it’s easy for integrators to give their clients full control of their footage and then to get temporary access from the client for any troubleshooting needs.”