Despite adhering to X’s security protocols, Premium Times fell victim to a sophisticated breach, raising concerns about the platform’s vulnerability to MFA bypass attacks and slow response to urgent recovery requests.
In the early hours of 19 February, at approximately 3:13 a.m. (WAT), the official X (formerly Twitter) account of PREMIUM TIMES (@premiumtimesng) was compromised. The attacker has since been posting misleading crypto-related content, raising concerns about the platform’s security protocols and response time.
Premium Times report that “our account was breached despite following X’s recommended security measures, including two-factor authentication (2FA) through an industry-approved authenticator app and a verified phone number.
This incident calls into question the effectiveness of the current safeguards for verified accounts and highlights the urgent need for enhanced digital security”
Upon detecting the breach, the publication says it’s technical team immediately initiated the recovery process using X’s official support channels.
” We submitted a detailed support ticket with all the requested verification information. However, five days later, X has not provided a meaningful response or resolution.
The attacker successfully altered the registered email address and phone number, making it impossible for us to regain control of our account. The prolonged delay in resolving this issue risks our newsroom’s credibility and disrupts communication with our audience, who rely on us for factual and timely reporting”
Recognizing the situation’s seriousness, the publication says it contacted several industry partners, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the International Press Institute (IPI), Google News, and the Nigerian Cybersecurity Coordination Centre. These organisations they said, assisted in escalating the issue, yet a resolution from X remains elusive.
