An Garda Síochána suffered an apparent cyber breach late Wednesday when its official X accounts, @GardaTraffic and @GardaInfo, were hijacked to promote cryptocurrency scams. The Irish Independent reported that the accounts began sharing posts offering cryptocurrency allocations around 11:00 PM, altering profiles and relocating to Amsterdam.
Unauthorized Crypto Posts Flood Official Traffic and Info Feeds
The breach impacted two of Ireland’s most prominent public-facing law enforcement social media channels. The @GardaTraffic profile, holding a substantial following of 600,000 users, and the @GardaInfo account, with nearly 300,000 followers, both removed their official branding and began publishing scores of cryptocurrency-related messages starting Wednesday night, according to RTÉ.ie.
The Irish Independent detailed that the attackers altered the @GardaInfo handle to @HelpXaman, transforming its profile picture and banner to mimic a cryptocurrency wallet support application. Meanwhile, the Irish Examiner noted that while the location on both accounts shifted to Amsterdam, the @GardaTraffic account temporarily retained its claim to be the official traffic and road safety updates profile despite the compromised activity.
The Irish Mirror reported that a warning was attached to several posts from the profiles because they were linked with another suspended account—a standard platform penalty triggered by violations regarding spam, malicious behavior, and security risks.
Broader Platform Security and Official Response
Despite the high-profile nature of the breach on X, other digital touchpoints remained secure. The Irish Independent confirmed that official Garda accounts on alternative platforms like Facebook and Instagram were untouched and continued operating normally.
The Limerick Leader reported that An Garda Síochána acknowledged the unfolding situation on Thursday morning, stating that an official statement would be issued “in due course.” The compromised feeds had previously featured clear advisories warning the public that the platform accounts should not be used to report actual crimes.
| Account Handle | Follower Count | Reported Breach Activity |
|---|---|---|
| @GardaTraffic | 600,000 | Branding removed, location changed to Amsterdam, crypto posts published |
| @GardaInfo | Nearly 300,000 | Handle changed to @HelpXaman, banner altered to crypto wallet support |
Old videos and archived posts published historically by An Garda Síochána remained visible on the @GardaInfo profile, even as the username became unavailable for legitimate law enforcement use.
