Twitter Skeptical of Report Trump Was Hacked

Dutch security researcher says he gained access with 'maga2020!'
By Newser Editors,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 22, 2020 11:34 AM CDT
Updated Oct 23, 2020 8:28 AM CDT
Hacker Breaches Trump's Twitter Account. Again
President Trump points to a cheering crowd as he arrives for a campaign rally Monday, Oct. 19, 2020, in Tucson, Ariz.   (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

A Dutch tech researcher says he was able to gain access to President Trump's Twitter account last week by correctly guessing the password "maga2020!" There's a precedent here: He happens to be the same guy who accessed the president's Twitter account in 2016 by guessing the password of "yourefired," reports TechCrunch. But Twitter is casting doubt on the allegation, which first appeared in Dutch media outlets. "We’ve seen no evidence to corroborate this claim, including from the article published in the Netherlands,” a Twitter spokesperson tells the Verge. "We proactively implemented account security measures for a designated group of high-profile, election-related Twitter accounts in the United States, including federal branches of government." A White House spokesperson also calls the claim "absolutely not true."

The hacker is Victor Gevers, who works for the GDI Foundation and is chair of the Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure. Gevers says he used his access for nothing malicious but instead warned Homeland Security and other officials of the weak password and security. “I expected to be blocked after four failed attempts," he said, per the Guardian. "Or at least would be asked to provide additional information." He says he was not, however, and that the fifth time proved the charm for his guess. The password has since been changed, says Gevers. The story emerges days after Trump's comment at a rally that "nobody gets hacked" went viral, reports Forbes. The story notes that Trump himself tweeted in 2013 that his account had been "seriously hacked." (More President Trump stories.)

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