The UK Army confirms its Twitter and YouTube accounts were compromised on July 3 and used to promote cryptocurrency giveaway scams before being restored
Investigation under way after interview with Elon Musk uploaded to video channel and picture of cartoon monkey seen on Twitter
The GuardianJane Clinton
Context & Ripple Effects
The compromise put a government institution into a fraud pattern already familiar on social platforms: Twitter had previously begun locking celebrity impersonators used in giveaway scams, while a later mass attack hijacked prominent accounts to push the same lure. The Army’s case shows that verified institutional channels can be repurposed alongside celebrity identities.
The related follow-up records the Army’s formal breach investigation, turning a short-lived account takeover into a security and platform-response issue for both Twitter and YouTube.
First-order effects
The UK Army must investigate how access to its Twitter and YouTube accounts was obtained and restore confidence in channels used to communicate under its name.
Twitter and YouTube face immediate removal and recovery work after scam material used the Army’s established audiences and the Elon Musk name to appear credible.
Second-order effects
Crypto-giveaway scammers gain another demonstration that takeover of trusted accounts can bypass the limits of impersonation-focused safeguards, increasing pressure on both platforms to secure high-profile accounts.
Other public institutions using Twitter and YouTube have reason to review account access and recovery procedures, since the incident involved coordinated misuse across two channels rather than a single fraudulent profile.
Third-order effects
If institutional-account takeovers continue to be used for financial scams, platform trust will depend increasingly on rapid recovery controls and protections for verified organizations, not just moderation of impersonating accounts.
The pattern points to social platforms becoming a shared attack surface for public communications and fraud distribution, with account-security practices carrying consequences beyond the account holder.
The trend: Cryptocurrency fraud is shifting from fake celebrity profiles toward the compromise of trusted, high-reach social accounts across platforms.
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We are aware of a breach of the Army's Twitter and YouTube accounts and an investigation is underway. The Army takes information security extremely seriously and is resolving the issue. Until their investigation is complete it would be inappropriate to comment further.
The breach of the Army's Twitter and YouTube accounts that occurred earlier today has been resolved and an investigation is underway. The Army takes information security extremely seriously and until their investigation is complete it would be inappropriate to comment further.
Anyhow @BritishArmy's accounts got pwned, it already was good for one thing: to show that Google and Twitter keeps not only not giving a fuck about “random” accounts' getting pwned / taken over by idiots/scammers/etc, but not even about such “important” accounts... https://twitte…
“Sir, I'm afraid our Twitter account has been hacked and used to post videos about cryptocurrency and NFTs featuring Elon Musk” What a moment that must have been. It's a tragedy we'll never get to see a recording of that conversation. https://twitter.com/... https://twitter.com/.…
This is not exactly encouraging in volatile times, especially when the British Army also has its 77th Brigade doing covert strategic communication operations intended to steer public opinion. It was supposed to be our designated adversary who were causing information confusion...…
I can't help but think this apology would have been very different had the temporary ability to impersonate the British Army been used to cause damage or sow confusion, in any of the many ways that could have been done, rather than merely promote an NFT. https://twitter.com/...
This is pretty serious, really. Surely the Defence of the Realm has to mean more than just tanks and guns. We live in a digital world. For our military to lose control of their Twitter feed strikes as a real failure of their digital capacity. A real one. Especially given this. ht…
This is hilarious. The British Army Twitter was hacked not by the Russians but by an NFT scam. Or maybe it's a fabulous double bluff by the Russians? Either way does not give one confidence. https://www.reuters.com/...