Many people use Twitter and they all assume that their information is safe. This was true until recently when Twitter found a bug in its system that stored passwords unmasked. Basically, Twitter employees had access to users’ passwords. Normally, the company uses a technology that automatically masks users’ passwords so that no one can actually see them. It seems that not everything went according to plans and the passwords remained unmasked. Thankfully, the company found the bug and already solved it. Even so, users should consider changing their passwords, especially if they used the same password on different accounts and devices.
According to Twitter, the bug was found and solved without any indication of breach or misuse by anyone. If this is true, users’ information is safe and there is nothing to worry about. Hopefully, the company told the truth and the unmasked passwords really weren’t used or accessed by anyone. Even so, Twitter recommends users to keep their accounts safe by changing their password not only on Twitter but also on any other service they used the same credentials. Also, it is important for users to set strong passwords and they don’t reuse it on other sites. Then again, in the case of this bug, it really didn’t matter how strong the passwords were as they have been saved unmasked for anyone who had access to them to see them without any problems.
Two-factor authentication is also recommended in order to keep Twitter accounts safe. Login verification adds an extra layer of security to your Twitter account. After entering your password, you will also receive a code on your cell phone which you have to enter in order to log in. Of course, this means that logging in will take longer than it would when only using a simple password. However, it is always better to be safe than sorry. It’s great that Twitter found the bug itself, but it is not that great that is was there and passwords could have been compromised. Stay safe and never use the same password for multiple accounts or different sites.
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