The office of Canadian Senator Amina Gerba has confirmed that her X/Twitter social media account was hacked, as reported by MalwareHunterTeam. The account, renamed as “LFG,” was utilized to promote a scam, taking advantage of Gerba’s followers. The Senator, realizing she couldn’t access her account, promptly reported the incident to the federal government’s IT department. The account has since been restored, but questions remain regarding the implementation of multifactor authentication for enhanced security.
Walter Calderon, Gerba’s executive assistant, revealed that the Senator discovered the hack when she couldn’t log in on Tuesday. After trying her password without success, she noticed that the associated email had been changed. Calderon stated that Gerba promptly notified the government’s IT department about the issue. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges and potential risks faced by public figures on social media platforms.
The restoration of the account brings relief, but it raises concerns about the overall security of social media accounts held by Canadian parliamentarians. Calderon did not confirm whether Gerba had implemented multifactor authentication to bolster login security. The incident echoes similar past occurrences involving Canadian parliamentarians, underscoring the importance of robust cybersecurity measures for public figures in the digital age.
Amina Gerba, appointed to the Senate in 2021, serves as an independent member and is actively involved in committees such as Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Human Rights, and the Parliamentary Black Caucus and Senators for Climate Solutions. The hack follows a pattern of social media breaches affecting Canadian politicians, emphasizing the need for continuous vigilance and security enhancements in the face of evolving cyber threats.
