Hackers Hit Obama on Facebook, Twitter

Syrian Electronic Army takes responsibility for graphic video
By Neal Colgrass,  Newser Staff
Posted Oct 28, 2013 3:55 PM CDT
Hackers Hit Obama on Facebook, Twitter
File- Thgis Oct. 17, 2013 file photo shows President Barack Obama speaking in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington.    (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Fans of President Obama's Twitter and Facebook accounts were no doubt surprised today when they clicked on links that took them to a graphic video depicting Syria's civil war. The Syrian Electronic Army, a pro-Assad group, took responsibility for the hack and told Mashable it had broken into Obama's Twitter and Facebook accounts. In fact it had exploited a link shortener used by Organizing for Action, a nonprofit group that promotes ObamaCare and other legislative priorities for the Democrats, CNET reports.

Either way, the links have been fixed and Twitter says it wasn't to blame: "The account's custom, third-party URL shortener which it uses to produce vanity URLs was compromised, not the Twitter account," said a Twitter rep. (Inconvenient timing, considering the company's IPO is coming up.) This was apparently one of many cyber attacks perpetrated by the SEA, which has already struck websites for the Marine Corps and major media organizations. (More President Obama stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X