Hyderabad airport’s X account hijacked to push crypto ‘rewards’; GHIAL says it is back in control

The Hyderabad airport X account, the official handle of Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) at Shamshabad, was taken over by an unknown party on Monday, 19 October, and used to post messages promoting a cryptocurrency “rewards” programme before the airport regained control of it.

GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL), which runs the airport, described the episode as unauthorised access to its handle and said the account had since been restored and was “fully operational”. According to the airport, its IT team spotted the intrusion quickly and moved to recover the account. GHIAL has not said exactly how long the posts stayed up or how the attackers got in.

No impact on flights, says operator

GHIAL stressed that the social media account is not linked to any of the airport’s operational systems. Flight operations, passenger services and other critical systems carried on normally throughout, the operator said.

The airport has reported the incident to the cybercrime authorities and to X, and a detailed investigation has begun.

Hijacking well-known, verified accounts to advertise fake crypto giveaways is a familiar tactic: the borrowed credibility of a trusted name is what persuades people to click. Anyone who interacted with the posts on 19 October should treat them as fraudulent.

How to spot a fake crypto giveaway

• Don’t trust the blue tick alone. A verified badge only tells you whose account it is, not who is typing. If an airport, bank, celebrity or government body suddenly posts about crypto rewards, free tokens or “double your money” offers, assume the account has been compromised.
• Never click reward links or connect a wallet. Genuine public bodies and companies do not ask you to send cryptocurrency, pay a fee, share a one-time password or link your wallet to claim a prize. Countdown timers and “limited slots” are pressure tactics.
• Check the official website first. Any real offer will also appear on the organisation’s own website or in its press releases. If it is missing there, ignore it.
• Report fast if you lose money. Call the national cyber fraud helpline 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in, the Union Home Ministry’s reporting portal. Reporting within the first hours gives the best chance of freezing the transaction. Use the platform’s report option on the post as well.

GHIAL has not said whether any users lost money through the posts on the Hyderabad airport X account. Further details are expected once the investigation by cybercrime officials and X is complete.

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