Cryptocurrency enthusiast and cybersecurity pioneer John McAfee claims that his Twitter account was compromised by an unknown offender who fraudulently promoted “undervalued” digital coins to his thousands of followers.
The now deleted tweets imitated his ‘coin of the day’ posts, which the cyber security expert stopped posting a few days ago, indicating instead that he will write each Monday on a “coin of the week.”
The alleged hack triggered a wave of mockery on Twitter, with many advising McAfee to use better antivirus software. While the cybersecurity guru sold his company around 20 years ago, his antivirus software still bears his name. He responded to the mockery by stating he has “no control over Twitter’s security,” adding, that his fame as a cybersecurity guru makes him a prime target for hackers and impersonators with fake accounts.
McAfee also suggested that his account was likely compromised through his mobile phone, pointing out that if this could happen to him, “it can affect anyone.”