Ford Motor Company announced that its X account was hacked on Monday after unauthorized posts appeared, including messages stating, "Israel is a terrorist state," "Free Palestine," and "ALL EYES ON GAZA."
Although the posts were quickly deleted, X users captured screenshots and shared them in replies to Ford's recent updates.
In an email statement to CBS News Detroit, Ford said, "Our X account was briefly compromised and the previous three posts were not authorized or posted by Ford. We are investigating the issue, and apologize for any confusion caused."
David Derigiotis, president of brokerage with Flow Specialty, reportedly said that social media accounts of prominent individuals and corporations have frequently been targeted by hackers over the years.
In August, former President Donald Trump alleged that his presidential campaign was hacked after a report appeared to detail foreign agents' efforts to meddle in the 2024 U.S. election.
Derigiotis emphasized the importance of individuals and companies swiftly regaining control of compromised accounts and ensuring that hackers are fully removed from the system to prevent further breaches.
"There are a few different ways that accounts typically get compromised. It could be employees being targeted, of the company itself," Derigiotis told CBS News Detroit. "It could be the social media manager or individuals who handle marketing and all social media relations for Ford, they could have been targeted. Or it could be somebody on the X side as well. Whatever employees at the organization, if they were targeted, attackers find their way in through various path points."
