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What the Twitter whistleblower could mean for Elon Musk's takeover deal
CNN Business ^ | 8-23-2022 | Clare Duffy

Posted on 08/23/2022 7:40:51 AM PDT by servo1969

New York (CNN Business)Elon Musk's monthslong effort to buy — and then to get out of buying — Twitter has been marked by a range of unexpected twists. Now, a stunning whistleblower disclosure from the company's former security lead Peiter Zatko is almost certain to become the latest complication.

As part of a wide-ranging, nearly 200-page disclosure sent last month to US lawmakers and regulators, which was exclusively reported by CNN and the Washington Post Tuesday, Zatko alleges that Twitter (TWTR) has neither the incentive nor the resources to properly measure the full scope of bots on its platform. He also alleges that Twitter suffers from a range of other security vulnerabilities that it has for years failed to fix. (Twitter has broadly defended itself and criticized Zatko's allegations as "riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies.")

(snip)

"For years, across many public statements and [SEC] filings, Twitter has made material misrepresentations and omissions ... regarding security, privacy and integrity," Zatko's disclosure states. "Twitter's misrepresentations are especially impactful, given that they are directly at issue in Elon Musk's contemplated takeover of the company."

Zatko, better known as "Mudge," is a prominent ethical hacker-turned-cybersecurity executive whose career also included stops at Google and the Department of Defense. He was hired as Twitter's security lead following a major hack at the company in 2020 and fired in January of this year, a move he claims came after he tried to blow the whistle internally about security deficiencies and alleged possible fraud by the company's senior leaders.

His disclosure paints a picture of a company rife with security vulnerabilities that threaten user data and the platform's functionality, and which he says could put US national security at risk.

(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: bots; cnn; dorsey; elon; musk; twitter; zatko
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Zatko alleges that Twitter's top executives have misled users, regulators and even the company's board about its information security. "Please open an investigation into legal violations by Twitter," the disclosure states.
1 posted on 08/23/2022 7:40:51 AM PDT by servo1969
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To: servo1969

Some say Musk never intended to buy Twitter - just use the exercise and publicity to expose them


2 posted on 08/23/2022 7:43:04 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: servo1969

We’ll see how deep the SEC is immersed in the swamp, but having already targeted big tech, this could be significant.


3 posted on 08/23/2022 7:44:14 AM PDT by bigbob (z)
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To: servo1969

Tim Pool has new video on this article.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7acQJItr_8


4 posted on 08/23/2022 7:44:17 AM PDT by servo1969
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To: servo1969

More proof that Twitter is a government op, LOL!


5 posted on 08/23/2022 7:44:33 AM PDT by dynoman (Objectivity is the essence of intelligence. - Marilyn vos Savant)
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To: servo1969

The SEC filings are where the danger lies for Jack Dorsey and others.


6 posted on 08/23/2022 7:49:56 AM PDT by JonPreston
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To: servo1969

Twitter is just one of many social media organizations that manipulate and censor the truth.

No matter what you think of Musk he exposed the game and I don’t think he will lose his case in court.

Alphabet (Google), Yahoo, and others also seek to influence users covertly but twitter is unique in that the valuation of the company is based on “customer base” or “clicks” and in their effort to influence people they inadvertently went down a fraudulent path.

It’s a perfect example of what we face today in our nation... the left believes any kind of fraud is permissible to achieve their religious salvation.


7 posted on 08/23/2022 7:50:42 AM PDT by volunbeer (Find the truth and accept it - anything else is delusional)
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To: PGR88

Perhaps-—But Musk is crazy like a fox.


8 posted on 08/23/2022 7:51:13 AM PDT by ridesthemiles
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To: PGR88

Musk is close friends with Jack Dorsey, who no doubt knew where Twitter’s bodies were buried.


9 posted on 08/23/2022 7:52:10 AM PDT by skeeter
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To: servo1969

Allegation that some employees may be foreign agents. Think the FBI will investigate? Nahhh, they got over their whole anti-Communist kick decades ago. They’re the Communists, and they’re coming for free Americans. Who cares about Communist foreign agents in Twitter?


10 posted on 08/23/2022 7:52:19 AM PDT by quikstrike98
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To: servo1969

Tim Pool’s opinions are shaped by monetization. Being a lefty wasn’t paying the rent.


11 posted on 08/23/2022 8:02:37 AM PDT by Right Brother
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To: servo1969
Zatko's allegations as "riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies."

But no falsehoods or fabrications?

One man's misrepresentation is another man's interpretation.

12 posted on 08/23/2022 8:02:45 AM PDT by seowulf (Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty, and dies with chaos...Will Durant)
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To: servo1969

I forget when it was but sometime after TWTR went public at an ‘insane’ (to me) IPO price, one of the financial shows had the pertinent query; “How can they monetize this?” Here is at least part of the answer, allow these fakes to proliferate! No need to create, just make little effort to restrict.

Now they are put into a twitter (can’t resist) by Elon Musk’s perfectly legit takeover offer. He is, as anyone would, using their LEGAL, FIDUCIARY filings as the basis for his bid. When the bid was accepted by the Board of Directors, he had every right of internal discovery because HE WOULD BECOME RESPONSIBLE for the same SEC reports upon sale completion.

I knew this was a Sword of Damocles for Twitter when Musk made clear mention of how few TWTR shares were owned by the (well compensated) Board of Directors.


13 posted on 08/23/2022 8:11:16 AM PDT by SES1066 (More & more it looks like Brandon's best decision was Kamala! UGH!)
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To: seowulf

how about a charlatan, rogue, scamp
or scoundrel, or an outright mountebank?


14 posted on 08/23/2022 8:13:16 AM PDT by Mr. K (No consequence of repealing obamacare is worse than obamacare itself)
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To: Right Brother

“Tim Pool’s opinions are shaped by monetization. Being a lefty wasn’t paying the rent.”

A lesson, like getting mugged, occasionally converts a leftist...


15 posted on 08/23/2022 8:19:52 AM PDT by Rebel_Ace (Let's go Brandon!)
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Trump was right about Elon.


16 posted on 08/23/2022 8:26:51 AM PDT by proust (All posts made under this handle are, for the intents and purposes of the author, considered satire.)
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To: volunbeer
...and in their effort to influence people they inadvertently went down a fraudulent path.

Inadvertently? Maybe.

Maybe not.

17 posted on 08/23/2022 8:32:19 AM PDT by ShadowAce (Linux - The Ultimate Windows Service Pack )
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To: servo1969

50 cents on the dollar, that’s what Musk will end up paying in the greatest takeover deal in history.


18 posted on 08/23/2022 8:34:44 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: Mr. K

This man is obviously a contemptable scalawag.


19 posted on 08/23/2022 8:35:54 AM PDT by seowulf (Civilization begins with order, grows with liberty, and dies with chaos...Will Durant)
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To: servo1969

I think this guy has a rumble account and you like everyone to youtube? Part of the problem.


20 posted on 08/23/2022 8:46:05 AM PDT by wiseprince (Me,)
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