The former head of social network security accused the American firm of not putting in place measures to guarantee the safety of its users. He also denounces the existence of software allowing thousands of Twitter employees to consult the data of the platform’s subscribers.
Peiter Zatko’s skills as a repentant computer hacker had enabled him to become the head of cybersecurity for the social network Twitter. But in open conflict with the firm’s management teams, he was fired in January 2022.
The ex-employee who is filing a complaint against Twitter revealed to the American press all the malfunctions in terms of computer security which the firm is accustomed to. Half of the company’s servers that host user data are outdated and vulnerable. He also denounces the existence of content moderation software, which allows thousands of employees of the social network to consult the private information of Internet users.
This device is reportedly operated by some governments for surveillance and spying purposes. In particular by the secret services of India which would have forced Twitter to provide access to the software.
Following the whistleblower’s revelations, the CNIL in France has decided to launch an investigation for non-compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation. The equivalent of the Commission in Ireland has also launched a procedure to verify whether its accusations against Twitter were founded.