Web Security News

Twitter hacked with 'happiness'

Friday, January 9, 2009

A weak password used by a Twitter support staff member allowed a hacker to gain control of various celebrity accounts by using an automated password-guesser.

The hacker is reportedly an 18-year- old who goes by the online name GMZ and said he noticed a Twitter user named "Crystal" as a frequent follower of numerous accounts in an IM interview with the Wired.com blog Threat Level.

GMZ agreed to the interview after being implicated by other hackers online, according to the blog.

The hacker began a dictionary attack last Sunday by using a self-authored tool which automatically tried English words, Treat Level reports. By 11 a.m. Eastern Time the next day, he was in Crystal's account, thanks to the password of "happiness."

By hacking the Twitter staffer's account, GMZ could reset passwords through the administrative panel, according to the post. Though he said he didn't personally use the hacked accounts, he did post a message to Digital gangster, a forum for hackers, offering access to the accounts by request.

"I feel it's another case of administrators not putting forth effort toward one of the most obvious and overused security flaws. I'm sure they find it difficult to admit it," wrote GMZ in the interview.ADNFCR-1765-ID-18965313-ADNFCR

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