Security News > 2020 > December > Police Vouch for Hacker Who Guessed Trump’s Twitter Password

When Dutch ethical hacker Victor Gevers tried to alert Secret Service that he was able to guess the password to President Donald Trump's Twitter handle last October, there were plenty of skeptics, most notably at the White House.

Now, Dutch prosecutors have determined Gevers did guess the password to the world's most powerful Twitter account, but said that he will not be charged with a crime because he was acting honorably to track down vulnerabilities associated with high-profile accounts.

"The hacker released the login himself," Dutch police said, according to BBC. "He later stated to police that he had investigated the strength of the password because there were major interests involved if this Twitter account could be taken over so shortly before the presidential election."

The White House denied that the breach occurred, and when Gevers informed Twitter that he was able to guess Trump's password and access the account, the company said it was skeptical.

Over the course of his presidency, Trump has used his Twitter account to announce firings at the top levels of government, conduct sensitive diplomatic negotiations with the likes of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un and set domestic policy.

News URL

https://threatpost.com/police-vouch-hacker-trump-twitter-password/162371/