Pentagon confirms U.S. military's social media accounts hacked
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 12 January 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pentagon confirms U.S. military's social media accounts hacked, 12 January 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/54be146215.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
January 12, 2015
The Pentagon has confirmed that the Youtube and Twitter accounts of the U.S. military's Central Command have been suspended after a cyberattack by hackers who claim to be aligned with the militant group Islamic State (IS).
A Pentagon spokesman said the attack is "embarrassing but not a security threat."
Later, U.S. Central Command (Centcom) said its operational networks were not compromised by the hackers and there was "no operational impact."
Centcom is based at an air base in Florida and handles U.S. military operations covering the Middle East and Central Asia.
The group, called CyberCaliphate, posted a message on the Centcom Twitter feed on January 12 saying: "In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful, the CyberCaliphate continues its CyberJihad."
It also posted the names and addresses of U.S. military generals online, as well as purported U.S. military plans for scenarios involving China and North Korea.
CyberCaliphate has been under investigation by the FBI since it launched hacks against the Twitter pages of several U.S. news organizations in early January.
The group also claims it hacked into the data bases of the FBI and says it is planning cyberattacks against homes and offices across the United States.
Based on reporting by Reuters, AP, and AFP
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
