Nick Robinson's X account hacked to promote crypto

Nick Robinson, a well-known presenter on the Today programme, recently experienced a troubling incident when his X account was hacked. This unfortunate event occurred after he clicked on a link in an email that he mistakenly believed was sent by X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. As a result of this click, Nick found himself locked out of his account. At the age of 61, he expressed his frustration on Tuesday, stating that he was still unable to access his account because the hackers had changed his passwords. He cautioned his followers, saying, 'If you read anything from my account today, it won't be me. ' A cyber security expert explained that these types of attacks are often carried out by automated systems that target social media users with large followings, making them easy prey for exploitation. The email that Nick received was cleverly designed to appear legitimate, claiming that he needed to review some content that allegedly violated X's policies to prevent his account from being suspended. However, the email address from which the message was sent did not match the official addresses used by X, which should have raised a red flag for Nick. The hackers took advantage of Nick's account to promote a cryptocurrency called $Today, which was briefly available for purchase before it was taken down. Nick later revealed that he had fallen victim to the scam despite having completed online security courses that highlighted the warning signs of phishing emails. He reflected on his experience, saying, 'I was tired after a long day, and the phishing email made me think that if I didn't act fast, I would be in trouble. ' He admitted that he should have been more cautious and checked the email address more carefully. His co-host, Amol Rajan, humorously commented on the situation, joking that Nick had finally succumbed to the temptations of the online world and was now launching a cryptocurrency. Nick clarified that the news about him launching $Today was entirely false and merely a humorous misunderstanding. He emphasized the lesson he learned from this experience: 'Don't click on everything you see. ' Toby Lewis, a global expert in threat analysis at a cyber-security firm, explained that individuals with large social media followings are often targeted by automated phishing emails. However, he also noted that anyone can fall victim to similar hacking scams. He advised, 'There are signs we can look out for, but the problem with these emails is that they are designed to attack us when we are distracted and busy. ' He recommended that people avoid clicking on links in emails, stating, 'If it's an important message, it will be there on the relevant website when I log on.