Microsoft X Account Hacked to Promote Unofficial Meme Coin CLIPPY

Microsoft's official X account was hacked and used to promote an unofficial meme coin called CLIPPY. The attackers, who were likely crypto scammers, followed another account that was promoting the token, reposted one of its tweets, and even changed Microsoft's profile picture to Clippy, a paperclip assistant from early editions of Office.

The posts were quickly removed, and an apology tweet appeared for about 30 minutes before being deleted. Microsoft confirmed the breach to The Verge, saying that it never authorized anyone to promote the token using its intellectual property, including Clippy.

The company plans to pursue legal action to have the token and associated marketing removed. It also clarified that its MSFT ticker has no connection to the token, which means holders of CLIPPY have no ownership rights in Microsoft Corporation.

This is not the first time a major brand's account has been hijacked by crypto scammers. In 2024, attackers took over Microsoft India's X account to impersonate viral trader Keith 'Roaring Kitty' Gill and push a fake Gamestop token presale. The pattern of hacking high-profile accounts to promote meme coins is becoming increasingly common.