A former head of security at Twitter alleged that the company misled regulators about its cybersecurity defenses, privacy protections and its ability to detect and root out fake accounts, according to a whistleblower complaint filed with U.S. officials.
The revelation could create serious legal and financial problems for the social media platform, which is currently attempting to force Tesla CEO Elon Musk to consummate his $44 billion offer to buy the company.
Peiter Zatko, Twitter’s security chief until he was fired early this year, filed complaints last month with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice. The legal nonprofit Whistleblower Aid, which is working with Zatko, confirmed the authenticity of a redacted copy of the complaint posted online by the Washington Post.
Among Zatko’s most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement by falsely claiming that it had strong security measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users. Zatko also accuses the company of deceptions involving its handling of “spam” or fake accounts, an allegation that is at the core of Musk’s attempt to back out of the Twitter takeover.
Shares of Twitter Inc. slid 5.4% Tuesday. Zatko didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. But he told the Post he “felt ethically bound” to come forward.
Better known by his hacker handle “Mudge,” Zatko is a highly respected...
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