Trump Account Deactivation Raises Twitter Security Questions

Trump Account Deactivation Raises Twitter Security Questions

The temporary deactivation Thursday of the personal Twitter account of President Donald Trump, @realDonaldTrump, by a customer support employee on their last day of employment has raised questions about Twitter’s internal security.

  • By Jessica Davis
  • Nov 06, 2017

The temporary deactivation of the personal Twitter account of President Donald Trump, @realDonaldTrump, by a customer support employee on their last day of employment has raised questions about Twitter’s internal security.

Last week, Twitter initially said that @realDonaldTrump was “inadvertently deactivated due to human error” but later said that the account was deactivated by a third-party customer support contractor. The social media platform has not yet released the employee’s name and stated it was “conducting a full internal review” and “taking steps to prevent this from happening again.”

The 11-minute deactivation has led to questions about the internal security and protocol that allowed a customer support employee to deactivate such a high-profile account. A former senior Twitter employee said that “a lot” of employees have the ability to suspend a user’s account, though fewer are able to fully deactivate one.

The source said that the system was simple to navigate, with account deactivation a click away if an employee has the right to access the tool. They added that Twitter had discussed special protections for verified or high-profile accounts but had never implemented these protections or changed protocol despite awareness that its suspension permissions were open to abuse.

According to Twitter Support, accounts currently may be suspended or deactivated for violations of the Twitter rules, such as abusive tweets or behavior, account security problems or spam. In addition, Twitter offers a reward program for security researchers who report qualifying security vulnerabilities in the platform.

Twitter has not commented on plans to prevent unauthorized deactivation of accounts from happening again.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Allegion, Comfort Technologies Implement Mobile Credentials at the Artisan Apartment Homes in Florida

    Artisan Apartment Homes, a luxury apartment complex in Dunedin, Florida, recently transitioned from mechanical keys to electronic locks and centralized system software with support from Allegion US, a leading provider of security solutions, technology and services, and Florida-based Comfort Technologies, which specializes in deploying multifamily access control, IoT devices and software management solutions. Read Now

  • Mall of America Deploys AI-Powered Analytics to Enhance Parking Intelligence

    Mall of America®, the largest shopping and entertainment complex in North America, announced an expansion of its ongoing partnership with Axis Communications to deploy cutting-edge car-counting video analytics across more than a dozen locations. With this expansion, Mall of America (MOA) has boosted operational efficiency, improved safety and security, and enabled more informed decision-making around employee scheduling and streamlining transportation for large events. Read Now

  • Security Industry Association Launches New “askSIA” AI Tool

    The Security Industry Association (SIA) has unveiled a brand-new SIA member benefit – askSIA, a conversational AI agent designed to help users get the most out of their SIA membership, easily access SIA resources and find the latest information on SIA’s training and courses, reports and publications, events, certification offerings and more. SIA members can easily find askSIA by visiting the SIA homepage or looking for the askSIA icon in the top left of webpages. Read Now

    • Industry Events

  • Industry Embraces Mobile Access, Biometrics and AI

    A combination of evolving workplace dynamics, technology innovation and new user expectations is changing how people enter and interact with physical spaces. Access control is at the heart of these changes. Combined with biometrics and AI, mobile access control has become increasingly crucial for deploying entry solutions that are seamless, secure and adaptive to user needs. Read Now

  • Sustainable Video Solution Delivered for Landmark City of London Office Development

    An advanced, end-to-end video solution from IDIS, with a focus on reducing waste and costs, has helped a major office development in the City of London align its security with sustainability objectives. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.