Cyber Incident Victim: Los Angeles Chargers
Date:
Jan 2020
Location:
United States of America
Summary
A hacking group compromised the social media accounts of multiple NFL teams, including the Los Angeles Chargers, affecting Twitter profiles and some Instagram and Facebook accounts. The attackers replaced profile images and banners while posting messages claiming "everything is hackable" under the name OurMine, a group with prior breaches of high-profile figures. Twitter froze the impacted accounts upon detection and initiated an investigation, while the perpetrator's account was subsequently suspended. The incident disrupted communications for numerous teams, including both participants in an upcoming championship game, though service was restored after platform interventions.
| CIA Posture | Motives | Tactics, Techniques & Procedures |
|---|---|---|
| Available to members | 1 motive | 1 technique |
| Threat Actor | Type | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 actor | Available to members | Available to members |
Description
On January 27, 2020, the Twitter accounts of 15 National Football League teams, including the Los Angeles Chargers, were compromised in a coordinated hacking incident. The attacks occurred within a two-hour window during the afternoon, with affected accounts exhibiting unauthorized profile changes—including removed profile pictures and banners—and posting identical messages stating, “We're back (OurMine). We are here to show people that everything is hackable.” The hacker group OurMine claimed responsibility for the breaches via Twitter, asserting they also accessed some teams' Instagram and Facebook accounts. Among the compromised teams were high-profile organizations such as the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs, both of which were scheduled to compete in the upcoming Super Bowl that weekend. Other affected franchises included the Arizona Cardinals, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The hacked tweets were subsequently deleted, but not before public visibility.
The incident triggered immediate containment measures, with Twitter freezing the compromised accounts upon confirmation of the breaches. A spokesperson acknowledged the hack to Bloomberg but did not disclose technical details or initial access vectors. OurMine, the group behind the attack, had a documented history of targeting high-profile social media accounts, including those of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, actor Channing Tatum, and prominent YouTubers in prior years. Twitter suspended OurMine’s account following the incident and launched an investigation into the breaches. No further operational disruptions or data theft beyond the social media takeovers were reported. The timing of the attack, days before the Super Bowl, amplified its visibility and reputational implications for the league and affected teams, though no financial or competitive impacts were disclosed. The Chargers, like other teams, regained control of their accounts following Twitter’s intervention.