Dutch Researcher Claims He Hacked Trump’s Twitter Account

A Dutch security researcher said that he hacked President Donald Trump's Twitter account earlier this month, guessing that his password was "maga2020!", Guardian reports.

Victor Gevers, a security expert, had access to Trump's direct messages, was able to post tweets in his name, and alter his profile, the Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant reported on Thursday.

Gevers – who had previously signed in to Trump's account in 2016 – apparently obtained entry by guessing Trump's password.

He tried “maga2020!” on his fifth attempt and it worked.

Maga stands for Trump’s oft used campaign slogan Make America Great Again.

“I expected to be blocked after four failed attempts. Or at least would be asked to provide additional information,” Gevers told De Volkskrant.

Twitter, however, denied the report.

“We’ve seen no evidence to corroborate this claim, including from the article published in the Netherlands today. We proactively implemented account security measures for a designated group of high-profile, election-related Twitter accounts in the United States, including federal branches of government,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement.

However, Gevers told De Volkskrant that the ease with which he accessed Trump's account indicated that the President did not use basic security measures such as two-step authentication.

Allegedly gaining access to Trump's Twitter meant that Gevers was immediately able to communicate with 87 million users – the number of Trump's followers – and, according to De Volkskrant 's article, he was in a bit of panic.

“So, he tries to warn others. Trump’s campaign team, his family. He sends messages via Twitter asking if someone will call Trump’s attention to the fact that his Twitter account is not safe. He tags the CIA, the White House, the FBI, Twitter themselves. No response,” the paper reported.

A day later, Gevers found that the two-step verification had been triggered on Trump's account, he said. The Secret Service got in contact two days later.

De Volkskrant said they thanked him for bringing the security issue to their attention.

It was not the first time that Gevers had access to the President's Twitter account.

In 2016, he and two others had guessed Trump's password and entered his account.

Back then Trump’s password was “you are fired”, according to VN news, his catchphrase from the reality TV show that brought him into American living rooms before his election, The Apprentice.