Gardaí regain control of official X accounts after hack

The Garda Síochána (Irish police force) has reported regaining control over two official social media accounts, @GardaInfo and @GardaTraffic, following a hack that gained unauthorized access to the profiles on X (formerly Twitter). The breach, which occurred on Wednesday night, saw the accounts take on branding associated with a cryptocurrency and publish numerous posts about it.

Some of these posts were directed at individual users but could have been seen by hundreds of thousands of individuals following the official Garda accounts.

Upon discovering the unauthorized access, the Gardaí clarified that there was no infiltration of any Garda systems or loss of data stored by the agency. The Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau is currently investigating the incident. Cybersecurity expert Brian Honan expressed embarrassment over the situation, stating that the organization entrusted with combating crime fell victim to it. However, he noted that such attacks are not uncommon, as attackers often target high-profile accounts with a significant following.

The two Garda accounts have since posted on X, confirming that they have re-established control over the official accounts. Olga Cronin, head of policy at the Irish Council of Civil Liberties, emphasized the worrying nature of any hack involving State agency or body systems or online accounts, particularly due to the sensitive information they might contain, such as personal data shared in direct messages.

She stressed the importance of secure handling and management of data collected through various methods, including social media, body-worn cameras, and interactions at Garda stations. Cronin called for clear communication from the Gardaí and X regarding the incident to address public concerns.