Twitter locks accounts of users with direct password exposure; denies breach in its system

Michael Coates, Trust & Information Security Office says, “We’ve investigated claims of Twitter @names and passwords available on the “dark web,” and we’re confident the information was not obtained from a hack of Twitter’s servers.”

Coates says the company has checked its records, and a number Twitter accounts were identified for extra protection. These accounts have been locked by Twitter and users will have to reset their passwords to continue using them.

Twitter has sent out mails for changing passwords to identified users, and these accounts will remain locked unless the these users change their passwords.

“If your Twitter information was impacted by any of the recent issues – because of password disclosures from other companies or the leak on the “dark web” – then you have already received an email that your account password must be reset. Your account won’t be accessible until you do so, to ensure that unauthorized individuals don’t have access.”

Twitter has also enlisted a few steps for users to keep their account safe.

The LeakedSource website claims the reason for the breach could be that “tens of millions of people have become infected by malware, and the malware sent every saved username and password from browsers like Chrome and Firefox back to the hackers from all websites including Twitter.”