Fox News hacked to report Obama assassinated
By David Howells
04/07/2011
Hackers have targeted the Fox News Twitter account to declare that US President Barack Obama had been assassinated.
A group calling themselves The Script Kiddies - internet slang for hackers using rudimentary tools and methods - has claimed responsibility for the attack, and their account has since been suspended. However, despite the breach occurring hours ago, the Tweets in question are still yet to be removed.
The Fox News account was thought to be tamper proof and even carried the 'approved' logo which verifies that the company is who it claims to be. However, the hackers still got through, illustrating the need for businesses large and small to use IT management software.
BBC News reported the first Tweet as reading: "@BarackObama has just passed. The president is dead." A later tweet read: "BREAKING NEWS: @BarackObama assassinated, 2 gunshot wounds have proved too much."
The hack is the second in recent memory for Fox who saw their Twitter feed broken into by hacking group Lulzsec earlier this year which published contact details and dates of birth for the contestants appearing on X Factor. With this new hack, some of Fox News' 34,000 followers have attacked the tweets for being in bad taste, while others thought it was a genuine announcement.
Following the initial announcements, guardian.co.uk reported how the hackers went on to claim that current vice president Joe Biden would take the presidential reins, claiming: "We wish @JoeBiden the best of luck as our new President of the United States.
"In such time of madness, there's light at the end of the tunnel."
As yet, the Rupert Murdoch-owned Fox News Network has been unavailable for comment.
