Donald Trump remains very active on social media, especially these past few weeks. However, recent shocking reports suggest that his account on Twitter was not safe from hackers.
A Dutch security expert and researcher claimed that he was able to hack the U.S. President's official account earlier this month. Victor Gevers told Dutch outlets, de Volkskrant and Vrij Nederland, that it only took him five attempts before having full access to the account, according to the Daily Express.
The outlets claimed that they received screenshots from the security expert, proving that he was able to open the profile. Gevers, also, added that he could make edits, see messages, and even send tweets.
Donald Trump, reportedly, used the password "maga2020!" for his official account on Twitter. The Dutch outlets, also, reported earlier last month that Gevers, alongside two other hackers, are the same individuals who claimed to have breached the U.S. President's profile in October 2016.
The security expert explained that he decided to run a "new security test" this year and tried to plug in the old password that he used, "yourefired." However, it did not, reportedly, work, causing him to put in his other guesses until he reached the fifth password attempt and successfully got in.
Following the claims, Donald Trump did not directly address the issue. But, in their defenses, Twitter and the White House released an official statement, arguing that Victor Gevers' hacking claims are untrue.
Speaking to The Verge, a spokesperson from the social media company said that they did not see any evidence "to corroborate" the allegations. Moreover, the platform "proactively implemented" security measures, especially for high-profile and election-related accounts in the United States.
Judd Deere, who serves as the Deputy Press Secretary inside the White House, echoed the statements and denied the reports. He, however, refused to comment on the "security procedures" that they do toward Trump's social media accounts.
Reports, later on, noted that Victor Gevers did not make changes to Donald Trump's Twitter account. Despite gaining full access, he told the publications that making changes "is not ethical," and it would go too far.
He explained that it is not part of a "responsible disclosure" or "coordinated vulnerability disclosure." He stated that, in simplest terms, it would be "a d**k move" to do so.
Gevers, also, said that he made numerous efforts to communicate with Trump to talk about the vulnerability of his social media accounts. He, then, added that it was the same scenario with Twitter when he tried to contact them to discuss the sensitive matter.
