The importance of computer and Internet security was on display when Burger King’s official Twitter account was hacked. This was reported by CNET News on Monday, February 18, 2013. The fast-food chain’s account was changed to display the name and logo of McDonald’s, which is Burger King’s biggest direct competition.
The compromised account sent out tweets that included racial epithets to over 80,000 followers. It also claimed to be sold to McDonald’s because “the whopper flopped.” The Whopper is a hamburger that is sold by Burger King. The company was forced to suspend the account and issue apologies to those who received the tweets.
An anonymous hacker group appeared to take credit for the hack on the account. There was no apparent motive other than to provide amusement for those that aren’t hurt when Burger King is made to look foolish.
It should serve as a warning to the rest of us when a large company like Burger King can be embarrassed publicly like this. Whether a company or a private user, a breach of computer and Internet security can cause plenty of damage.





