If you use an Android phone, Twitter says you are vulnerable to hackers on its platform

Twitter has warned that Android users are a lot more vulnerable to attacks on its platform.

Specifically, Android users who own Twitter accounts are more likely to have their direct messages hacked into.

“This vulnerability could allow an attacker, through a malicious app installed on your device, to access private Twitter data on your device (like Direct Messages) by working around Android system permissions that protect against this,” the company said in a blog post.

In July, a 17-year-old Florida teenager called Graham Ivan Clark allegedly bypassed Twitter's two-factor authentication to gain access to an internal “admin” tool that let the hacker take over 130 accounts belonging to some of the most powerful people in the world.

Graham Ivan Clark allegedly hacked into Twitter in July (New York Post) Graham Ivan Clark allegedly hacked into Twitter in July (New York Post) Pulse Nigeria

Accounts of dozens of celebrities and public figures, including Bill Gates, Elon Musk and former U.S President Barack Obama, were hacked into, to post a cryptocurrency scam netting over $100,000 in bitcoin in just a few hours.

The company however says there is no evidence that the Android vulnerability has been exploited by attackers.

Regardless, Twitter adds that it has begun informing users who could have been vulnerable.

The company has also updated its Android app to remove the vulnerability, and it is requiring anyone who may have been impacted to update their Twitter for Android app.

Twitter is also identifying changes to its processes to better guard against security attacks.

“Your privacy and trust is important to us and we will continue working to keep your data secure on Twitter,” the company said in its blog.

Twitter has been open to cyber attacks in recent times (BusinessInsider) AFP

Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey, recently announced that the company is actively exploring additional ways to make money from its users; with a subscription model being considered.

In late July, Twitter reported second-quarter ad revenues of $562 million, a 23% decrease compared to the corresponding quarter of 2019.