Twitter hack presages a bumpy election

But attackers have learned a lot since 2016, too. And the pandemic’s work-from-home era has created fresh vulnerabilities for users who are adapting to new online work arrangements without ready access to onsite support.

What they’re saying: Thursday saw both the FBI and the New York State attorney general announce investigations into the incident, and a wave of demands by members of Congress for information and remedies.

“This hack bodes ill for November balloting,” said Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) in a statement. “Twitter was long put on notice by the Federal Trade Commission about its repeated security lapses and failure to safeguard accounts. Count this incident as a near miss or shot across the bow. It could have been much worse with different targets.”

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, issued a statement warning that the hack revealed “a worrisome vulnerability in this media environment — exploitable not just for scams, but for more impactful efforts to cause confusion, havoc, and political mischief.”