Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, Sep 14, 2024

Briton pleads guilty in US to 2020 Twitter hack

Briton pleads guilty in US to 2020 Twitter hack

A British national extradited to the US last month has pleaded guilty in New York to a role in one of the biggest hacks in social media history.
The July 2020 Twitter hack affected over 130 accounts including those of Barack Obama and Joe Biden.

Joseph James O'Connor, 23, known as PlugwalkJoe, pleaded guilty to hacking charges carrying a total maximum sentence of over 70 years in prison.

The hacking was part of a large-scale Bitcoin scam.

O'Connor, who was extradited from Spain, hijacked numerous Twitter accounts and sent out tweets asking followers to send Bitcoin to an account, promising to double their money.

O'Connor, from Liverpool, was charged alongside three other men over the scam.

US teenager Graham Ivan Clark pleaded guilty in 2021. Nima Fazeli of Orlando, Florida, and Mason Sheppard, of Bognor Regis in the UK, were charged with federal crimes.

US Assistant Attorney-General Kenneth Polite Jr described in a statement O'Connor's actions as "flagrant and malicious", saying he had "harassed, threatened and extorted his victims, causing substantial emotional harm".

"Like many criminal actors, O'Connor tried to stay anonymous by using a computer to hide behind stealth accounts and aliases from outside the United States.

"But this plea shows that our investigators and prosecutors will identify, locate, and bring to justice such criminals to ensure they face the consequences for their crimes."

In 2020, an estimated 350 million Twitter users saw suspicious tweets from official accounts of the platform's biggest users. Thousands fell for a scam, trusting that a crypto giveaway was real.

Cyber experts agreed that the consequences of the Twitter hack could have been far worse if O'Connor and other hackers had more sophisticated plans than a get-rich-quick scheme.

Disinformation could have been spread to affect political discourse and markets could have been moved by well-worded fake business announcements, for example.

The hack showed how fragile Twitter's security was at the time. The attackers telephoned a small number of Twitter employees with a believable tale to convince them to hand over their internal login details - which eventually granted the hackers access to Twitter's powerful administrative tools.

Essentially, the hackers managed to use social engineering tricks more akin to those of conmen than of high-level cyber-criminals to get access to the powerful internal control panel at the site.

It was, and still is, a hugely embarrassing moment in Twitter's troubled history.

O'Connor's admission has not come as a shock though as there was a wealth of evidence in the public domain thanks to the hackers making some bad mistakes or being too loud in their celebrations in the aftermath of the hack.

O'Connor also pleaded guilty to other hacking crimes including gaining access to a high-profile TikTok account.

He posted a video to that account where his own voice is recognisable and threatened to release "sensitive, personal material" related to the owner of the account to people who joined a Discord group.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Escalating Conflicts in the West Bank, Lebanon, and Ukraine: A Global Perspective on Violence and Political Tensions
UK Introduces £10 Electronic Travel Authorization Amid Global Turmoil: Zelensky's Peace Plan, Middle East Tensions, and Argentina's Aviation Strike
Taliban Bans MMA, WHO Approves First Mpox Vaccine, UK's Largest Child Abuse Investigation Yields Convictions, Dutch Migration Controls Tighten, NATO Condemns Russian Missile Strike, and London's Migration Museum Celebrates Immigrant Contributions
Iran's Repression of Women Intensifies, Global Protests, and High-Stakes Diplomatic Efforts Mark A Day of Geopolitical Turmoil
Global Headlines: Quiboloy's Plea, Taiwan's F-16V Arrival, Hezbollah-Israel Clashes, Zambada's U.S. Arraignment, German Naval Movement, Morocco Flooding
Typhoon Yagi Devastates Southeast Asia while Global Tensions Rise: A Rundown of Major Events
Global Unrest: Israeli Strike Kills Child, Russia Expels British Diplomats, Sweden's Migration Policy, and More
PETA Condemns Real Bearskin Caps at Buckingham Palace, Offers Faux Alternatives Amid Soaring Costs and Global Turmoil
Biden Marks 30 Years of Violence Against Women Act; Global and Domestic Turmoil Heighten Tensions
Israel's Elite Unit 8200 Chief Resigns Amid Post-Hamas Attack Turmoil, Global Political Updates Follow
UN Struggles to Resolve Libya’s Central Bank Crisis Amid Broader Regional Turmoil; Salman Rushdie's Memoir Nominated for National Book Awards
Russian Attack on Red Cross Vehicles in Ukraine Highlights Humanitarian Risks; Notre Dame's Reopening Offers Glimmer of Hope Amid Global Crises
Global Outcry Follows Deadly Israeli Airstrike on Gaza School Amid Escalating Regional Conflicts and Cultural Looting
Turkiye Calls for UN Inquiry into Activist's Death Amidst Middle East Tensions
Global Justice, Economic Reforms, and War: Key Issues Captivating the World
Turkiye Condemns US-Cyprus Defense Pact Amid Escalating Global Tensions and Conflicts
Haitian Immigrants Boost Springfield’s Economy Amid Misinformation and Unity Efforts
International Outcry Over Shooting of Turkish-American Activist; Global Leaders Demand Accountability
Iranian President Criticizes Western Support for Israel in First International Trip to Baghdad Amid Tensions
Iran Denies Missile Deliveries to Russia Amid New Sanctions
International Condemnation Flares as Israeli Airstrike on Gaza Humanitarian Zone Escalates Middle East Tensions
Global Strife and Resilience: Humanitarian Efforts in Myanmar and Gaza, Tragic Events in Algeria, and Legal Battles in Kosovo
Global Snapshot: Repression in Tunisia, Islamist Gains in Jordan, Accountability Demands by Biden, Rocket Attack in Iraq, Russian Naval Exercises, and Violence Against Polio Workers in Pakistan
Global Turmoil: Nairobi Airport Strike Over Adani Lease, Typhoon Yagi's Devastation, France Reintegrates Daesh Children, and 9/11 Remembrances
Global Crises: Israeli Helicopter Crash, UK's Travel Policy Shift, Iran's Sanctions, and Escalating Tensions from Ukraine to Myanmar and Philippines
IMF Agrees to $1.1 Billion Aid for Ukraine Amidst Rising Tensions and Global Diplomatic Efforts
Escalating Global Tensions: From Libya’s Crackdown to US-Israel Relations and India’s Internal Strife
Biden Considers Lifting Ban on Ukraine's Long-Range Weapons Amid Growing Conflict with Russia; Winter Energy Crisis Looms
Turkiye Rejoins Arab League After 13 Years; Nestlé Faces Record Environmental Fine in France; Escalating Violence in Middle East Raises Alarms
Dubai Conference Cancels Talk by Ex-Children’s Hospital Doctor Under Investigation
UK Halts Iran Flights Amid New Sanctions
Israeli Forces Near Completion of Gaza Mission Amid Heightened Tensions with Hezbollah and Growing Humanitarian Crisis
Libya Rebuilds Amid Political Instability; Global Conflicts and Sanctions Shape Geopolitical Landscape
Jordan Reopens Border Amid Regional Turmoil; Key Incidents Highlight Ongoing Middle East Tensions
Global Tensions and Triumphs: Blinken's UK Visit, Middle East Ceasefire, SpaceX Milestone, and East Timor Papal Mass
Global Turmoil: Typhoon Yagi Devastates Vietnam; Kim Jong Un Announces Nuclear Expansion; Ukraine Launches Massive Drone Attack on Moscow
Tragedy in Gaza, Misinformation in Ohio, and Rising Tensions: A Global News Roundup
Key CIA Officer in Historic 'Argo' Mission Passes Away; Tunisia Election Controversy & North African Floods Dominate Headlines
Lebanon's PM Urges UN Action Amid Escalating Clashes; US Presses Israel on Activist's Killing; Iran Denies Missile Allegations
Jordan-EU Talks, Egypt-EU Cooperation, U.S.-Cyprus Defense Pact, Dutch Court’s Verdict, and UN's Polio Campaign Amid Gaza Crisis: A Global Roundup
Mourners Honor US-Turkish Activist Killed in West Bank as Global Leaders React to Escalating Conflicts and Economic Inequalities
Global Unrest: Renewed Sudan Violence, Gaza School Delays, and Japan’s Diplomatic Shift Amid Political Tensions
Global Turmoil: Turkish Strikes, Bangladesh Extradition Row, Gaza Conflict, Nigerian Tragedy, Afghan Refugee Heartache, and Indonesian Aviation Incident
Migrant Tragedy Near Sicily Highlights Deadly Mediterranean Route; Global Political Developments and Defense Challenges Under Scrutiny
Severe Flooding in Morocco Leaves 4 Dead and 14 Missing
Tragedies Across Yemen and Morocco, Regional Conflicts Escalate, and Calls for Repatriation of Ancient Artefacts Mark a Tense Global Landscape
Erdogan Targets Military Graduates over Secular Oath Amidst Global and Regional Tensions
Tragic Discovery in Turkey, Arms Sales Suspended in UK-Israel Tensions, and VP Harris Launches Swing State Tour as Global Crises Unfold
Pope Francis Brings Hope to Papua New Guinea; U.S. Faces Active Shooter on Interstate 75; Venezuelan Opposition Leader Seeks Asylum in Spain; Tensions in West Bank and Diplomatic Talks in UAE
Mass Protests in Israel Over Hostage Crisis Amid Escalating Regional Tensions: A Global Overview
×