OpenAI’s Twitter Hacked Again To Promote Crypto Scam

Sentiment Status: Negative

Since June 2023, OpenAI has faced at least four hacks, targeting high-profile accounts like CTO Mira Murati, chief scientist Jakub Pachocki, and researcher Jason Wei.

One of OpenAI’s official Twitter accounts was hacked, promoting a fraudulent cryptocurrency scam. This is the fourth time an OpenAI-affiliated account has fallen victim to crypto fraud in the past year and a half. This time, the hackers exploited the newly launched OpenAI Newsroom account, which had amassed 54,000 followers since its launch.

Late on September 23, 2024, OpenAI's Newsroom Twitter account was hijacked to promote a fake cryptocurrency project called $OPENAI. The fraudulent post encouraged followers to visit a phishing website made to mimic OpenAI’s official site and claim non-existent tokens. According to the fake tweet, the $OPENAI token was designed to "bridge the gap" between AI and blockchain technology. It even promised token holders early access to future beta programs from OpenAI.

This incident is particularly insidious because the hackers decided to disable comments on the post, likely to prevent users from calling out the scam in real time. When the breach was discovered, many users had already reported concerns.

Since June 2023, OpenAI has suffered at least four similar hacks, targeting high-profile accounts associated with the company. In June 2023, OpenAI’s CTO Mira Murati’s account was hacked. A year later, in June 2024, chief scientist Jakub Pachocki faced a similar incident. Most recently, in September 2024, OpenAI researcher Jason Wei’s Twitter account was breached in a nearly identical attack.

Despite this, OpenAI has not yet publicly launched any official cryptocurrency-related projects. The recurring hacks have consistently promoted fake tokens using almost the same method, attracting users to phishing sites under the guise of crypto-airdrops.

Crypto-related scams X have plagued OpenAI and other prominent figures and companies. In recent weeks, similar hacks have affected a range of public figures, including Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr., computer giant Lenovo, and Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone.

These attacks involve phishing techniques designed to capture sensitive information, such as wallet addresses or login credentials. In many cases, these phishing sites act as "wallet drainers," stealing users' cryptocurrencies or NFTs once they enter their wallet information.

Many suggest that OpenAI and other organizations must take immediate steps to secure their social media accounts. Christopher Kelly, President of DroppGroup, accentuated the need for wider security protocols such as multi-factor authentication, ideally using physical security keys instead of SMS codes, which can be intercepted. He also advised organizations to routinely monitor account activity and ensure that employees are well-trained in identifying phishing tactics.

Even though these hacks are occurring more frequently, neither OpenAI nor its CEO, Sam Altman, has publicly addressed the latest breach. While the offending posts have been deleted, the lack of a formal response has left the community wondering what steps, if any, are being taken to prevent future incidents.

In 2023, Americans alone lost $5.6 billion to cryptocurrency scams, marking a sharp 45% increase from the previous year.

Moving forward, users are advised to double-check URLs before entering sensitive information and verify the legitimacy of any crypto airdrop or token offering.