A Guide to Consolidating Accounts After SEC and Mandiant Miscalculations

What happened and how?

The news space was rocked this week by the news of cyberattacks that hit the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Google-owned security firm Mandiant. X’s accounts were compromised, false information was posted on social media. These incidents have highlighted the importance of protecting digital accounts from unauthorized access.

The SEC regained control of its account less than an hour after hackers posted fake Bitcoin messages. Unfortunately, this is the second such incident in recent times, pointing to the vulnerability of even the most protected systems. Mandiant said the attack was possible through “brute force” — a technique used to guess passwords.

Both accounts were not using two-factor authentication (2FA), a key digital security tool, at the time of the attack. This is due to a change in X policy where paid Blue subscriptions gave access to two-factor codes via SMS. This policy has caused confusion among users who may think their protection is enabled when in fact it is not.

How to prevent such incidents?

To minimize the risk of hacking, users should create a strong and unique password, enable 2FA, and remove phone numbers associated with the account that could be used to regain access. You can reduce the risk of SIM card swapping by removing the phone number from your account.

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The cyberattacks on the SEC and Mandiant are a stark reminder of the need to be vigilant about the security of online accounts. Don’t let your account become the next victim—protect it today.