Ford says X account was "briefly compromised" after posts referencing Israel-Palestinian war
(CBS DETROIT) - Ford Motor Company says its X account was hacked after a few posts on Monday said "Israel is a terrorist state," "Free Palestine," and "ALL EYES ON GAZA."
The posts have since been deleted but not before X users took screenshots and shared them in the replies to Ford's recent posts.
In an email statement to CBS News Detroit, Ford said, "Our X account was briefly compromised and the previous three posts were not authorized or posted by Ford. We are investigating the issue, and apologize for any confusion caused."
David Derigiotis, president of brokerage with Flow Specialty, says several social media accounts of high-profile individuals and corporations have been hacked over the years.
In August, then-former President Donald Trump claimed his presidential campaign was hacked a day after it seemingly issued a report detailing foreign agents' attempts to interfere in the U.S. campaign in 2024.
Derigiotis said it's imperative for individuals and companies to regain control of their accounts immediately and ensure that the hackers are completely out of the system.
"There are a few different ways that accounts typically get compromised. It could be employees being targeted, of the company itself," Derigiotis told CBS News Detroit. "It could be the social media manager or individuals who handle marketing and all social media relations for Ford, they could have been targeted. Or it could be somebody on the X side as well. Whatever employees at the organization, if they were targeted, attackers find their way in through various path points."