By Kyle Fedorek
2020 has been one heck of a year. From COVID-19 to real world issues and the presidential debate. It seems just when you think it cant get any crazier or weirder the world throws something back in your face. As of writing this some major accounts are still be taking over and tweeting a purported bitcoin scam. Twitter has not released much except that they acknowledged a security incident and are investigating.
Many high profile accounts such as Elon Musk, Joe Biden, Obama, Kanye and more were hacked to help support the scam. The scammer’s website was quickly pulled offline. Kristaps Ronka, chief executive of Namesilo, the domain registrar used by the scammers, told TechCrunch that the company suspended the domain “on the first report” it received.Some of the accounts were quickly back under their owners’ control and tweets were quickly deleted, though at the time of writing, both Binance and Bitcoin still had a tweet promoting the scam. @apple also had its account hacked to push the same scam, as well as Amazon co-founder @jeffbezos and @billgates, whose account was also briefly hacked with the same message, though the tweet was quickly deleted.
It is unlikely that each entity or individual was targeted and compromised. This totally falls on twitter. As one account we witnessed who was hacked and then regained control stated he had 2FA enabled. As well as the Winkelvoss twins who own Gemini cryptocurrency exchange also tweeted. It seems someone got greater access to Twitter and was able to reset passwords or bypass the Multi factor and two factor authentication completely. There is rumor and speculation that a Twitter employee was targeted and possibly phished. This employee had access to the Twitter user management panel. This would make sense given the ease and number of verified accounts that were briefly taken over and 2FA/MFA being bypassed.
Many major cryptocurrency exchanges seem to have fell victim to the scam as well. Also oddly enough and to note that it seems only prominent Democratic leaders and even the presidential candidate Joe Biden were also affected. The list also includes Barack Obamaand Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Who is behind the major hacking is unsure. Russia and North Korea have always had a sinister side for attacking crypto related services. There has been a couple major cryptocurrency exchange hacks linked to North Korean nation-state hackers in the past few years. They are also keen on running major bitcoin scams and laundering money through cryptcurrency.
It’s not immediately known how the account hacks took place. Security researchers, however, found that the attackers had fully taken over the victims’ accounts, and also changed the email address associated with the account to make it harder for the real user to regain access.
Scammers frequently reply to high-profile accounts, like celebrities and public figures, to hijack the conversation and hoodwink unsuspecting victims. Twitter typically shuts these accounts down pretty fast.
A Twitter spokesperson, when reached, said the company was “looking into” the matter but didn’t immediately comment.
As of writing this article just one of the addresses have already received almost 125,000$ in BTC payments.
Also shares of Twitter fell as much as 3% in after-hours trading. In a professional opinion it seems Twitter really dropped the ball on this one. Unfortunately sometimes you can be so prepared and have the best security in place and still fall victim to these types of things. This one hack will definitely go down in the books and is just another notch on the belt of crazy stories for the year 2020.
UPDATE List of domains associated with the hackers and ongoing scam.
20eth.com
2xbinance.com
5000coins.com
5000fast.com
airdrop2019.com
airdrop2020.com
airdropseth.com
amazonaws.com
applebtc.net
applebtc.org
b-nance.com
bchdrop.com
bchdrop.net
bchdrops.com
bezos.xyz
bezosbtc.info
bezosfree.info
bill-gates.info
billgates.capital
billgatescoins.com
billgatescomp.info
billgatescrypto.com
billgatesfunds.com
billgatesgive.com
billgateshelp.com
billgive.info
binance-2.com
binance-airdro.online
binance-btc.net
binance-cryptovaganza.org
binance-gift.pro
binance-gift.store
binance-giveaway.top
binance-gives.com
binance-team.tech
binance-trade.com
binance10x.com
binance2.club
binance2.com
binance2.vip
binance2x.com
binance5000.info
binancebegin.com
binancebonus.com
binancedeals.com
binancedeals.net
binancedrop.org
binancefeast.net
binanceforce.com
binanceforce.net
binancefree.com
binancefree.net
binancefund.net
binancegift.net
binancegiveaway.exchange
binancegiveaway.net
binancegiveaway.top
binancejoin.net
binancemega.net
binancenow.net
binancepromo.net
binances.us
binancestart.com
binancestart.net
binancesuper.net
binancetake.net
binanceteam.net
binanceteams.net
binancetop.com
binancevalue.com
binancevent.net
binancevisit.net
binclic.com
binevent.org
bitcoindrop.org
bitcointesla.me
bitcoinxmarket.com
bitmex-giveaway.com
bitmex-news.online
bitmexdrop.com
bittrexpromo.com
bizrate.com
bloombergbtc.net
bonuspacex.com
brad-xrp.online
bradbtc.com
bradripple.com
brainpromo.info
btc-airdrop.net
btc-ali.com
btc-binance.site
btc-bonus.com
btc-drop.com
btc-gemini.info
btc-musk.net
btc-musk.org
btc10.org
btc5k.com
btcbonus.online
btcevent.net
btcevent.org
btcgatesbill.com
btckim.org
btcmcafee.com
btcpresent.net
btcwin.org
btcxbonus-participatenow.com
btcxinvest.com
cdnjs.su
cham-btc.com
coinbase-bonus.com
coinbase-bonus.net
coinbase-btc-give.com
coinbase-drop.com
coinbase-gift.com
coinbase-giveaway.online
coinbase-giving.com
coinbase-live-giveaway.com
coinbase-promo.com
coinbase-promo.net
coinbase-team.com
coinbase-x2.live
coinbase.ceo
coinbase.gifts
coinbase.promo
coinbase2020.pro
coinbase5000.com
coinbase5k.com
coinbasebonus.net
coinbasebtc.net
coinbasebtc.org
coinbasecheck.com
coinbasecomp.info
coinbasedrop.org
coinbasedrops.com
coinbasegift.info
coinbasegive.com
coinbasegive.us
coinbasegives.com
coinbasegiving.com
coinbasegold.com
coinbasehelper.info
coinbasejoin.info
coinbaseone.com
coinbasepro.gift
coinbasepro.tech
coinbasepromo.info
coinbasepromo.xyz
coinbasepromotion.com
coinbaserewards.com
coinbaseteam.com
coinbasetoday.info
coinbasetop.com
coinbasewin.com
coindeskbtc.com
coinprobase.info
coinprobitcoin.com
coinproevent.com
coinprofunding.com
com-y.ru
covid-ether.com
craig-wright.org
crypto-mcafee2020.com
crypto-promo.info
crypto-promo.net
crypto-promo.store
cryptoextra.net
cryptofollow.com
cryptoforhealth.com
cryptogates.company
cryptogates.info
cryptogates.ltd
cryptomcafee.net
cryptopromo.tech
cryptovaganza.net
ctoken.info
cz-btc.info
dogeblack.com
donaldchristmas.com
doubler.link
drop-binance.com
dropbycoinbase.com
elon-prize.tech
elon-promo.site
elon3-promo.com
elonchristmas.com
elonchristmas.net
eloncoins.info
elonevent.com
elonevent.world
elongivesbtc.com
elonmusk-present.com
elonmusk.expert
elonmusk.market
elonmusk.promo
elonmuskad.com
elonmuskgift.net
elonmuskgive.com
elonpresent.com
elonpromo.space
elonsave.life
elonshares.com
elonxevent-participatenow.com
elonxfunds-joinpromotion.com
elonxgive.net
elonxgive.team
elonxmas.com
elonxmas.net
erik-btc.com
eth-buterin.top
eth-give.info
ethairdrops.com
ethgift.com
ethgift.pro
ethprize.org
ethpromo.news
ethxevent-participate.com
event-spacex.com
eventbinance.com
floydbtc.net
fordbtc.org
freebybtc.com
freecoinbase.org
freexrp.tech
fundseth-aprilpro.com
gates-btc.info
gates-btc.net
gates-promo.info
gates-promo.org
gates.events
gatesbtcgiveaway.com
gatescoin.media
gatescoins.fund
gatescrypto.live
gatescrypto.net
gatesevent.tech
gatesfounder.info
gatesgive.me
gateshelp.info
gemini-btc.com
gemini-btc.net
gemini-btc.org
geminilive.org
get-btc.pro
get2xcrypt.com
getmcafee.net
getpromo.me
giftcoinbase.com
give-coinbase.online
give5k.com
johnmcafeebtc.net
ledgerbtc.club
linuxbtc.info
linuxbtc.me
linuxbtc.net
linuxbtc.org
linuxcoins.me
linuxdrop.me
linuxdrop.org
linuxgift.com
linuxgive.info
linuxgive.me
linuxgive.net
linuxgive.org
linuxgivebit.com
linuxgivebit.info
linuxgivebtc.com
linuxgivebtc.me
linuxgivebtc.net
linuxgiveme.com
linuxgiveme.net
linuxhelp.me
linuxpromo.com
ltcprize.com
marketxbitcoin.com
mcafee-crypt.com
mcafee-crypto-extravaganza.online
mcafee-crypto-extravaganza.org
mcafee-crypto-promo.online
mcafee-prize.online
mcafee2020.net
mcafee2020.xyz
mcafeeairdrop.com
mcafeeairdrop.net
mcafeebig.net
mcafeebonus.net
mcafeechristmas.com
mcafeechristmas.net
mcafeecrypto.online
mcafeecrypto.tech
mcafeeget.net
mcafeegroup.org
mcafeepresent.com
mcafeepromo.net
mcafeespecial.net
mcafeetoday.com
mcafeexbtc.com
mcf-crypt.net
medium-crypto.online
mrgatescoins.info
mrgatesgive.com
musk-elon.com
musk-elon.net
musk-event.com
musk.ml
muskelon.cf
muskelon.ga
muskelon.net
muskgive.com
muskgive.top
oprahbtc.org
panterabtc.com
pro-ethbonus-aprilcampaign.com
proairdrop.pro
probase-btcevent-april.com
probtccampaign.com
probtcpromo.com
probtcpromotion.com
procoinbase.co
procreditbank.rs
proeth-event-april.com
proether-fundsrelease-participate.com
promo-coinbase.info
promo-twitter.info
promoapple.info
promobinance.net
promocoinbase.fun
promocoinbase.info
promocoinbase.online
promocoinbase.site
promocoinbase.xyz
promoeth.com
promoget.net
promosuper.net
promotwitter.info
promotwitter.site
promoxrp.tech
robertbtc.net
robertbtc.org
rogerverbch.com
sonyxbtc.com
spacex-btc.info
spacex.bz
spacex.events
spacex.ooo
spacex.tips
spacex.world
spacexbest.info
spacexbonus.com
spacexbonus.info
spacexdrop.info
spacexfunds-participate.com
stevepromo.com
taleb-btc.info
tesla-x2.cc
tesla.bz
teslacoin.info
teslagive.com
teslagive.org
teslagives.info
teslaraffle.live
teslaspace.info
teslawallet.info
thanksfrombinance.net
thebezos.xyz
thebtcpromo.com
thecoinbasepro.com
tokengiveaway.in
tomleebtc.com
top-coinbase.com
totalh.net
touchdownworld.cz
twittdrop.me
twitter-btc.org
twitterbtc.net
twitterdrop.me
twitterpromo.info
uscryptorelief.com
walmartbtc.live
walmartbtc.me
webcindario.com
win-coinbase.com
wozapple.com
wozbtc.com
wozbtcfunds-joinpromotion.com
x10cryptocurrency.com
xrp-info.com
xrpchristmas.com
xrpdouble.live
xrpgive.info
xrplive.info
youlabuy.ru
