Microsoft said its X account was compromised and that two unauthorized posts appeared before the company secured the account and removed them. One post amplified content promoting a cryptocurrency called $Clippy; the other appeared to apologize for the earlier activity. Microsoft said it is investigating how the account was accessed.
The incident shows a limitation of verification badges: they may identify an account as belonging to a company, but they cannot confirm who controls it at a particular moment. A post from a familiar, verified account can make a dubious offer seem more credible, especially when it urges users to act quickly or connect a cryptocurrency wallet.
The source also cites earlier account takeovers. In January 2024, attackers used the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s X account to falsely claim that spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds had been approved. The Justice Department said Bitcoin’s price rose by more than $1,000 after the post and fell by more than $2,000 after the SEC regained access and corrected it. The source reports that an attacker later pleaded guilty and received a 14-month prison sentence.
For users, the practical safeguard is to verify major announcements outside social media. Visit the organization’s website or another official channel rather than relying on a single post. Be wary of unusual promotions, urgent deadlines, unfamiliar links and requests to share passwords or cryptocurrency recovery phrases. The source also recommends unique passwords and stronger account protections, such as authenticator apps or passkeys.
A checkmark can be one clue about an account’s identity, but it is not a guarantee that a post is authentic or safe. Microsoft said its account had been secured and the unauthorized posts removed; its investigation was ongoing at the time of the report.
