Linus Tech Tips, along with two other Linus Media Group YouTube channels, have been restored after a major hack. The hacker was able to livestream crypto scam videos, change channel names, and delete videos. Linus Sebastian, the owner of the channels, explained that the hack bypassed password and two-factor protections by targeting session tokens that keep users logged in to websites. The breach occurred when a member of the Linus Media Group’s team downloaded what seemed to be a sponsorship offer, which contained malware that accessed all user data from both their installed browsers. This gave the bad actor an exact copy of the browsers that they could use to wreak havoc without needing security credentials.
Sebastian has some suggestions for YouTube to prevent future breaches, such as greater security options for certain channel attributes and confirmation or verification requests if somebody tries to mass delete videos. YouTube spokesperson Elena Hernandez said the company had investigated the issue and worked with Linus Tech Tips to secure and restore their account.
This type of hacking method has become increasingly common and show just how important file inspection email security is.
If you don’t already have a solution in place to help mitigate these threats, reach out to SCYBER today for a free consultation and review of your email security.
