Hackers took over Microsoft’s main account on X and used it to promote a cryptocurrency token in an apparent pump-and-dump scheme. Microsoft confirmed unauthorized access, removed the posts, and said it does not endorse any cryptocurrency tied to Clippy, Microsoft, or $MSFT. The attack abused trust in a major verified brand account rather than a software flaw, and follower count exceeded 13 million.
Why it matters: People who saw or interacted with the posts could have been misled into buying a fraudulent token or trusting follow-on scam links. Users should treat sudden crypto promotions from major brand or government social accounts as suspicious, and organizations should review social-account security and access controls.
Eduard Kovacs
2026.10.02
99% relevant
This article is a direct report on the same incident, adding confirmation from Microsoft that the X account was accessed without authorization and that the unauthorized crypto-promotion posts were removed.
Sergiu Gatlan
2026.10.02
100% relevant
This article establishes a distinct new incident: the compromise of Microsoft's main X account and its use to promote a fake crypto token scam.
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