ABC News Facebook Page Compromised via Staff Account Takeover
Learn More
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) confirmed that a security breach affected its flagship ABC News Facebook page on January 21, 2025. ABC News is Australia's most popular digital news site, reaching nearly 13 million people monthly.
Attackers took control of the page, which has 4.9 million followers, and posted suggestive images of adult content creators. The incident also included an unflattering photo of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. These posts drew immediate attention from the page's large audience, leading to a surge in comments before the ABC regained control.
The breach was caused by a compromised staff account. This account had administrative rights to the Facebook page, allowing the attacker to bypass standard posting protocols.
ABC administrators detected the breach and removed the posts shortly after they appeared.
The company stated that it has secured access and is conducting a full investigation into the incident.
