News: Digital Life
Twitter phishing attack targets DMs
22.03.2010
A new wave of phishing attacks on Twitter is targeting users through the direct messaging (DM) service by using hacked accounts to send out malicious links directing them to a webpage where they are asked for login details.
The message body in DMs from these compromised accounts contains text varying from "someone posted on their blog about you" and 'You're on here?" to "you should change ur photo u took here".
Concerned Twitter users are passing around a message on the site saying "WARNING: There's a new Twitter Virus in DM's that starts w/ "You're On Here?" - DON'T CLICK ON DM LINKS! Pls Pass On!"
Twitter recently created its own URL shortening service - (http://twt.tl) - in order to protect users from such malicious hacks and phishing attempts: this service automatically shortens a website link sent via DM with the aim of re-routing potentially harmful links to a warning page once detected.
"If a link in a Direct Message is detected as potentially harmful, we'll display a warning screen when you click the link from your email. You should still always use your judgment when clicking links on Twitter or in email notifications, as this service will only protect against known or flagged threats," advises the Twitter help page.
By Marie Boran
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