Another awkward moment for Twitter: part of his source code ends up online, a security risk and reputational damage that is hard to ignore. Finished up Githubthe code remained available to everyone – hackers included.
Twitter, the source code of the app ends up online
The New York Times reported Friday that Twitter discovered the code leak. And immediately asked Github, a collaborative programming network, to remove the code and to reveal the identity of whoever posted and downloaded it. The site removed the code within the day, but not before several commenters took notice. Making one think that hackers might have done it too.
According to the New York Times, Twitter suspects the leak is the work of a disgruntled employee who had walked out following the site’s takeover by new boss Elon Musk, who fired 80% of staff.
The code leak could have several negative implications for the security and privacy of Twitter users. Some of the possible threats are:
- The exposure of vulnerability o bug in the code that could be exploited by hackers or malicious actors to compromise the site or user data.
- Access to sensitive information or confidential information about the internal workings of Twitter, such as algorithms, policies or strategies, which could be used by competitors or enemies to damage Twitter’s reputation or market.
- The infringement of Twitter’s copyrights or intellectual propertyon its source code, which could lead to lawsuits or financial loss.
At the moment it turns out difficult to assess the extent of this leak in particular – the information may also be insufficient for any of the following operations. But the risk is there and is considered high.
Twitter has also tried to ask the American judiciary to force Github to disclose data relating to the user who published the code, as well as those who downloaded it. If in the first case there is a chance that the judiciary will consent, it seems less likely to happen for those who downloaded the files. But we will keep you updated on developments.