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BBC Weather Twitter account taken over by Syrian regime supporters BBC Weather Twitter account taken over by Syrian regime supporters
(6 months later)
The BBC Weather Twitter account has been hacked, with fake tweets posted relating to the conflict in Syria.The BBC Weather Twitter account has been hacked, with fake tweets posted relating to the conflict in Syria.
Chris Hamilton, BBC News social media editor, confirmed on Twitter that the @bbcweather account had been hacked on Thursday afternoon.Chris Hamilton, BBC News social media editor, confirmed on Twitter that the @bbcweather account had been hacked on Thursday afternoon.
"Account has been hacked, so we don't control it. Working to fix it asap," Hamilton said in response to a query about the strange tweets that were appearing."Account has been hacked, so we don't control it. Working to fix it asap," Hamilton said in response to a query about the strange tweets that were appearing.
What appeared to be the first fake tweet following the hack stated: "Syrian Electronic Army Was Here via @Official_SEA #SEA #Syria." The next said: "Long Live #Syria Al-Assad #SEA."What appeared to be the first fake tweet following the hack stated: "Syrian Electronic Army Was Here via @Official_SEA #SEA #Syria." The next said: "Long Live #Syria Al-Assad #SEA."
The @Official_SEA Twitter account claimed @BBCarabicOnline and @bbcradioulster had also been hacked.The @Official_SEA Twitter account claimed @BBCarabicOnline and @bbcradioulster had also been hacked.
The BBC regained control of the BBC Weather account by about 3pm on Thursday, when all the fake tweets were removed. The last tweet before the hacking began was posted three hours earlier.The BBC regained control of the BBC Weather account by about 3pm on Thursday, when all the fake tweets were removed. The last tweet before the hacking began was posted three hours earlier.
A BBC News spokesman said: "The BBC twitter accounts which were hacked earlier today are now back under our control and all inappropriate tweets have been deleted. We apologise to our audiences that this unacceptable material appeared under the BBC's name."A BBC News spokesman said: "The BBC twitter accounts which were hacked earlier today are now back under our control and all inappropriate tweets have been deleted. We apologise to our audiences that this unacceptable material appeared under the BBC's name."
The breach appears to be related to a series of phishing attack emails sent around the BBC earlier on Thursday. In a security email to staff shortly after the hack, the corporation warned employees not to click on an email that had the subject "URGENT" and the body text: "Please read the following article to its importance".The breach appears to be related to a series of phishing attack emails sent around the BBC earlier on Thursday. In a security email to staff shortly after the hack, the corporation warned employees not to click on an email that had the subject "URGENT" and the body text: "Please read the following article to its importance".
The phishing emails contained what appeared to be links to the Guardian or Human Rights Watch websites – but actually pointed to a fake BBC email portal, where some employees apparently entered their details. That would have given the hackers access to top-security passwords and email addresses, which they could have then used to access the Twitter accounts. The phishing emails contained what appeared to be links to the Guardian or Human Rights Watch websites – but actually pointed to a fake BBC email portal, where some employees apparently entered their details. That would have given the hackers access to top-security passwords and email addresses, which they could have then used to access the Twitter accounts.
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