4 ms·

Or someone making one last use of an exploit on the old API, since ostensibly there is a day to go before the new API is released on the public net.

by css 6y ago

Sebb767 6y ago
This might actually explain the simple scam nature. Setting up more complex monetisation, i.e. by shorting a company, takes quite a while, especially if you don't want to be tracked. A bitcoin scam is quick and simple to do. And it's not _too_ illegal (compared to, for example, stock manipulation), so the attacker will probably catch less heat.
- celticninja 6y ago
  Stock trades are easier to trace, but both can be traced with sufficient resources.
- Nextgrid 6y ago
  The advantage of cryptocurrencies is that it allows you to commit the scam anonymously easily and defers the laundering of the money for later, giving you time to devise a scheme to launder it. Stock markets or fiat currencies on the other hand require quite a bit of work upfront to set up an account before you can trade.
  - alwillis 6y ago
    Bitcoin is not anonymous; it’s pseudonymous. And there are several companies that perform blockchain analysis for tracking transactions. The FBI and other law enforcement is getting pretty good at tracking illicit Bitcoin transactions and money laundering [1]. If these guys are professionals, they’re using mixing services to cover their tracks. Guess we’ll find out if they made any mistakes along the way. [1] “Blueleaks: How the FBI tracks Bitcoin laundering on the dark web”—https://decrypt.co/34740/blueleaks-how-the-fbi-tracks-bitcoin-laundering-on-the-dark-web https://decrypt.co/34740/blueleaks-how-the-fbi-tracks-bitcoi...
    - thinkloop 6y ago
      That's not how pseudonymity works, you are anonymous until you accidentally leak, or have to leak, PII linked to your wallet. They can be totally anonymous right now without any mixing. Once they need to convert to fiat they may have to mix first. Or maybe exchange cash wearing a mask with a stranger on the street in a foreign country, etc. Pseudonymity doesn't mean you're not anonymous until you mix.
      - techntoke 6y ago
        They'll probably just use CoinJoin and a mixer
        lawn 6y ago
        You can track transactions through them as well with a high degree if success.
        techntoke 6y ago
        Do you have more information about how susceptible CoinJoin is, because what I've seen for someone that knows what they are doing it would be near impossible, especially if they then convert it to Monero after.
        lawn 6y ago
        Here's a chainalysis blog post where they say they tracked coins through CoinJoin: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/plustoken-scam-bitcoin-price https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/plustoken-scam-bitcoin-... If they convert to Monero after then it's a different thing entirely.
    - Sebb767 6y ago
      Yes, but tracking that is not easy and we're "only" talking about 120k USD$ here - single persons have been scammed for more. You can steal one car and be above and beyond that. That's my theory on why they (presumably) didn't touch the stock market or the POTUS account - even if they're found, they really can only be charged with a modest damage sum and some vague hacking accusations; nothing that warrants a global manhunt.
- pldr1234 6y ago
  Perhaps they shorted Twitter, before this huge public demonstration? I hadn't considered it until your message, but it makes the most sense to me.
zmmmmm 6y ago
That actually makes the most sense to me. Even makes me wonder about whether it could be an insider leak - someone who knows of an unadvertised exploit that has been patched internally and sold it at the last minute or something.
mdoms 6y ago
I don't think they were planning to immediately deprecate and remove the old API. Is there any reason to believe this is the case?
- blisseyGo 6y ago
  From here: https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/labs/overview/whats-new/changelog https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/labs/overview/whats-ne... I don't see any depreciations from today/tomorrow which would be related to what happened.
Nightshaxx 6y ago
This makes way more sense than any of the other suggestions in HN. DMs are almost worthless; who uses DMs for anything important? It's for contacting people you kinda know but not really. State secrets aren't transitted over DM, but not because people wouldn't be stupid enough to do it. the people holding them are much older than the demographic that uses Twitter DMs. Worst case with DMs is some new YouTuber drama would be exposed.
- thereare5lights 6y ago
  You're underestimating the situation. One possibility is that someone has some information that can be used to blackmail them be exposed. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a politician that used Twitter DMs in such a fashion.
  - kshacker 6y ago
    Exactly. While everyone talks about the DNC leak, we forget Anthony Weiner who IIRC had multiple twitter related incidents.
- Spooky23 6y ago
  Never underestimate the power of stupid. There is unlimited potential.
- dawnerd 6y ago
  a lot of tech support includes PII over DM. Just in my list right now tmobile has enough in a dm thread for someone to call up and take over my line. It's stupid.
blisseyGo 6y ago
https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/labs/overview/whats-new/changelog https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/labs/overview/whats-ne... I don't see any depreciations happening which could result in today's hack. Though I could be wrong.

Or someone making one last use of an exploit on the old API, since ostensibly there is a day to go before the new API is released on the public net.

by css 6y ago

Or someone making one last use of an exploit on the old API, since ostensibly there is a day to go before the new API is released on the public net.

Sebb767 6y ago

This might actually explain the simple scam nature. Setting up more complex monetisation, i.e. by shorting a company, takes quite a while, especially if you don't want to be tracked. A bitcoin scam is quick and simple to do. And it's not _too_ illegal (compared to, for example, stock manipulation), so the attacker will probably catch less heat.

celticninja 6y ago
Stock trades are easier to trace, but both can be traced with sufficient resources.
Nextgrid 6y ago
The advantage of cryptocurrencies is that it allows you to commit the scam anonymously easily and defers the laundering of the money for later, giving you time to devise a scheme to launder it. Stock markets or fiat currencies on the other hand require quite a bit of work upfront to set up an account before you can trade.
- alwillis 6y ago
  Bitcoin is not anonymous; it’s pseudonymous. And there are several companies that perform blockchain analysis for tracking transactions. The FBI and other law enforcement is getting pretty good at tracking illicit Bitcoin transactions and money laundering [1]. If these guys are professionals, they’re using mixing services to cover their tracks. Guess we’ll find out if they made any mistakes along the way. [1] “Blueleaks: How the FBI tracks Bitcoin laundering on the dark web”—https://decrypt.co/34740/blueleaks-how-the-fbi-tracks-bitcoin-laundering-on-the-dark-web https://decrypt.co/34740/blueleaks-how-the-fbi-tracks-bitcoi...
  - thinkloop 6y ago
    That's not how pseudonymity works, you are anonymous until you accidentally leak, or have to leak, PII linked to your wallet. They can be totally anonymous right now without any mixing. Once they need to convert to fiat they may have to mix first. Or maybe exchange cash wearing a mask with a stranger on the street in a foreign country, etc. Pseudonymity doesn't mean you're not anonymous until you mix.
    - techntoke 6y ago
      They'll probably just use CoinJoin and a mixer
      - lawn 6y ago
        You can track transactions through them as well with a high degree if success.
        techntoke 6y ago
        Do you have more information about how susceptible CoinJoin is, because what I've seen for someone that knows what they are doing it would be near impossible, especially if they then convert it to Monero after.
        lawn 6y ago
        Here's a chainalysis blog post where they say they tracked coins through CoinJoin: https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/plustoken-scam-bitcoin-price https://blog.chainalysis.com/reports/plustoken-scam-bitcoin-... If they convert to Monero after then it's a different thing entirely.
  - Sebb767 6y ago
    Yes, but tracking that is not easy and we're "only" talking about 120k USD$ here - single persons have been scammed for more. You can steal one car and be above and beyond that. That's my theory on why they (presumably) didn't touch the stock market or the POTUS account - even if they're found, they really can only be charged with a modest damage sum and some vague hacking accusations; nothing that warrants a global manhunt.
pldr1234 6y ago
Perhaps they shorted Twitter, before this huge public demonstration? I hadn't considered it until your message, but it makes the most sense to me.

zmmmmm 6y ago

That actually makes the most sense to me. Even makes me wonder about whether it could be an insider leak - someone who knows of an unadvertised exploit that has been patched internally and sold it at the last minute or something.

mdoms 6y ago

I don't think they were planning to immediately deprecate and remove the old API. Is there any reason to believe this is the case?

blisseyGo 6y ago
From here: https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/labs/overview/whats-new/changelog https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/labs/overview/whats-ne... I don't see any depreciations from today/tomorrow which would be related to what happened.

Nightshaxx 6y ago

This makes way more sense than any of the other suggestions in HN. DMs are almost worthless; who uses DMs for anything important? It's for contacting people you kinda know but not really. State secrets aren't transitted over DM, but not because people wouldn't be stupid enough to do it. the people holding them are much older than the demographic that uses Twitter DMs. Worst case with DMs is some new YouTuber drama would be exposed.

thereare5lights 6y ago
You're underestimating the situation. One possibility is that someone has some information that can be used to blackmail them be exposed. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a politician that used Twitter DMs in such a fashion.
- kshacker 6y ago
  Exactly. While everyone talks about the DNC leak, we forget Anthony Weiner who IIRC had multiple twitter related incidents.
Spooky23 6y ago
Never underestimate the power of stupid. There is unlimited potential.
dawnerd 6y ago
a lot of tech support includes PII over DM. Just in my list right now tmobile has enough in a dm thread for someone to call up and take over my line. It's stupid.

blisseyGo 6y ago

https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/labs/overview/whats-new/changelog https://developer.twitter.com/en/docs/labs/overview/whats-ne... I don't see any depreciations happening which could result in today's hack. Though I could be wrong.