Twitter Spam: Phishing Scam Steals Twitter Passwords

According to Mashable.com, a new worm and phishing scam is spreading on Twitter. The message could come from the hacked accounts of "friends you trust" with a short message ("rofl this you on here?") and a URL leading to a replicated Twitter login page, asking for your account info. If you enter your username and password on this page, you will be infected, and your account used to pass on the worm.

Mashable offers the following instructions if you're hit:

If you're one of the unlucky ones to be fooled by this worm, make sure you change your password. Also delete any tweets or DMs that have the link. If you can't log into your account, reset the password and contact Twitter Support.

This is not the first worm or phishing scheme to make its way around the Twitterverse. Last January a similar phishing attack was causing trouble -- a direct message would be sent to your account with a tease "hey! check out this funny blog about you..." and a link. As Mashable put it: "We advise you don't."

In general, the best way to protect yourself is: if you are ever asked to re-login to Twitter after clicking on a link, do not do it.

Comments

[Joey Cudz]

01:08 AM on 09/24/2009

http://twitter.com/ohmiddleschool

funny middle school teacher's twitter. it's real, too.

[coyfsr]

11:15 PM on 09/23/2009

What in the wide wide world of sports would someone do with a bunch of twitter passwords other than send bogus tweets to all of those twits. Must have been the work of a bunch of developmentally impaired script-kiddies.

[oz3472]

11:13 PM on 09/23/2009

What a surprise - wasn't there an earlier article on HP about how the Republicans dominate on Twitter?
This is typical Republican behavior - wiretapping, illegal monitoring and now tweet stealing all part of the conservative agenda
why allow people to think for themselves when you can tell them what to think if 140characters or less!

[Rynox]

10:58 PM on 09/23/2009

I'd like to take exception to the title of this article. Phishing does not involve "stealing passwords", it involves users recklessly giving their passwords away.

[jazzybo]

10:21 PM on 09/23/2009

Isn't this the garbage that Palin uses? Nuff said!

[Matt Osborne]

10:06 PM on 09/23/2009

"if you are ever asked to re-login to Twitter after clicking on a link, do not do it."

That's better, simpler, and less irritating than Tom's phishing warning.

[foxisms]

08:48 PM on 09/23/2009

Not everything that anyone has to say can possibly be that interesting, can it be? When it comes to Twitter, go ahead, it's Ok to "kill the messenger".

[instagladiator]

08:41 PM on 09/23/2009

What took them so long?

[Deadgnome]

08:40 PM on 09/23/2009

Twitter is the most unstable piece of garbage out there. And what's really funny is all of the high-profile people that aren't smart enough not to use it.

[satanlite]

09:34 PM on 09/23/2009

My feeling zackly. Aptly named, however.

[Deli]

11:40 PM on 09/23/2009

And valued at $1B? It will be going down like dotcom.

[blaising]

08:11 PM on 09/23/2009

Steal away, hackers. It's all white trash republics anyway.

[lastep]

08:03 PM on 09/23/2009

twitter is for twits

[Bloggerrogr]

08:03 PM on 09/23/2009

Said it before.

Saying it again:

Friends don't let friends Twitter. Ever.

FWIW