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A cyber-security researcher has exploited a glitch on the CIA's official Twitter account, to hijack Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/a_channel-whois.html'>A Channel used for recruiting spies.

The US Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/central_intelligence-whois.html'>Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) account on X, formerly known as Twitter, displays a Link to a Telegram channel for informants.

But Kevin McSheehan was able to redirect potential CIA contacts to his own Telegram channel.

" The CIA really dropped Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_ball-whois.html'>The Ball here, " Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_ethical-whois.html'>The Ethical hacker said.

The CIA is a US government organisation known for gathering secret intelligence information, often over Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_internet-whois.html'>The Internet , from a vast network of spies and tipsters around the world

Its official X account, with nearly 3. 5 million followers, is used to promote Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_agency-whois.html'>The Agency and encourage people to get Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/in_touch-whois.html'>In Touch to protect US Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/national_security-whois.html'>National Security .

Mr McSheehan, 37, who lives in Maine, in the US, said he had discovered the security mistake earlier on Tuesday.

" My immediate thought was panic, " Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/he_said-whois.html'>He Said .

" I saw that the official Telegram Link they were sharing could be hijacked - and my biggest fear was that a country like Russia, China or Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/north_korea-whois.html'>North Korea could easily intercept Western intelligence. "

At some point after 27 September, the CIA had added to its X profile page a Link - Https : //t. me/securelycontactingcia - to its Telegram channel containing information about contacting the organisation on Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_dark-whois.html'>The Dark net and through other secretive means.

The channel said, in Russian: " Our global mission demands that individuals be able to reach out to CIA securely from anywhere, " while warning potential recruits to " be wary of any channels that claim to represent the CIA".

But a flaw in how X displays some links meant the full web address had been truncated to Https : //t. me/securelycont - an unused Telegram username.

As soon as Mr McSheehan noticed the issue, he registered the username so anyone clicking on Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_link-whois.html'>The Link was directed to his own channel, which warned them not to share any secret or sensitive information.

" I did it as a security precaution, " Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/he_said-whois.html'>He Said .

" It's a problem with the X site that I've seen before - But I was amazed to see the CIA hadn't noticed. "

The CIA did not reply to a Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/bbc_news-whois.html'>Bbc News request for comment - But within an hour of Https ://www.xwhos.com/person/the_request-whois.html'>The Request , the mistake had been corrected.

Source of news: bbc.com