The Obama White House Instagram account was a target of a hack that exploited Meta's AI-powered support chatbot, the company has confirmed. The breach affected high-profile accounts, including those of former President Barack Obama's White House, beauty retailer Sephora, and US Space Force chief master sergeant John Bentivegna, according to 404 Media. Everyday users also reported similar hijackings on Reddit and X over the weekend.
How the Hack Worked
Security researchers and hacking groups shared videos and screenshots on Telegram demonstrating how to steal an account. A video on X shows a hacker instructing Meta's AI assistant to link the account to a new email address. The AI bot then sends a verification code to that email and asks the hacker to input the numbers in the chat interface. Once the correct code is entered, a button appears to reset the targeted account's password.
In at least one instance, the hacker used a virtual private network (VPN) to spoof the account holder's location, bypassing Meta's safeguards. Stolen account handles were reportedly listed for sale on Telegram.
Meta's Response
Meta stated on Monday: "This issue has been resolved, and we are securing impacted accounts." The company did not disclose the total number of affected accounts.
Concerns About AI Security
The breach raises questions about the safety of relying on AI for essential security measures such as password resets. Meta rolled out its AI support assistant globally on Facebook and Instagram earlier this year, touting its ability to "take action for you on a growing set of requests," including reporting scams and resetting passwords. The press release described the assistant as "a major step in our work to deliver stronger support on our apps."
Meta's AI Investment
Under CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Meta has invested heavily in AI, with a planned $145 billion (£108 billion) spend on AI infrastructure this year. The company is developing large language models to power its products and pursuing AI "super-intelligence." Zuckerberg has also suggested AI assistants could replace human therapists, a proposal that drew concern from mental health clinicians who warned of inappropriate recommendations.
The incident highlights the risks of integrating AI into critical security functions, as hackers continue to find creative ways to exploit these systems.
