Virtual Security Breach

AP Twitter gets hacked and falsely reports White House bomb and injury to President Obama

Someone hacked the Associated Press Twitter account on April 23, sending out a 12:07 pm tweet proclaiming another act of terror. It quickly went viral on the site, prompting more than 4,500 retweets, 333 favorites and mass confusion.

Breaking: Two Explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is injured

— The Associated Press (@AP) April 23, 2013

Three minutes after the AP tweet went out, hacktivist group Anonymous presented its own version of the breaking news alert.

Breaking: Two Explosions in the White House and Barack Obama is injured via @ap

— Anonymous (@YourAnonNews) April 23, 2013

By 12:15 pm, the AP Twitter account was suspended. The Associated Press' Google+ page reported the incident, saying "The Associated Press Twitter account (@AP) has been hacked. Please do not respond to news posted there in the last 20 minutes."

Wall Street Journal reporter Charles Forelle documented the hack's effect on the Dow Jones, which thankfully recovered after the AP discredited the tweet.

Market reacts to errant tweet. twitter.com/charlesforelle…

— Charles Forelle (@charlesforelle) April 23, 2013

Anonymous, a loosely organized but extremely effective hacktivist group, has claimed responsibility for a number of high-level hacks in the past. North Korea, Israel and MIT have all fallen prey to the savvy Internet users. No official word yet on who is responsible for the Associated Press hack, though Anonymous is pointing the finger at Syria.

UPDATE: Associated Press twitter reportedly hacked by 'Syrian Electronic Army'

— YourAnonLive (@YourAnonLive) April 23, 2013

unspecified

This Week's Hot Headlines

The most festive Dallas neighborhoods shine in this week's top stories

Facebook/The Gift of Light

The Gift of Light in McKinney features over-the-top lights and a yard full of inflatables.

Editor's note: The top Dallas news of the week is full of holiday spirit, from festive neighborhood light displays to the best Christmas weekend events. Plus, exciting openings and reopenings to know. Catch up on our most popular stories below.

1. Must-see Dallas homes and neighborhoods for 2025 Christmas lights. There's no better family holiday tradition than piling in the car and looking at Christmas lights. Dallas and its suburbs are full of homes and neighborhoods decked out in dazzling displays, from coordinated cul-de-sacs to mansions that rival amusement parks.

2. Upscale Indian fusion restaurant Mango Yard to open in Frisco. An Indian restaurant that promises to be much more is coming to Frisco. Called The Mango Yard, it's set to open in early 2026 at the booming intersection of University Drive and Coit Road.

3. Spa Castle Korean bathhouse in Carrollton reopens after renovation. An Asian spa is about to celebrate a grand reopening. Spa Castle Texas, located in Carrollton, will reopen on January 1, 2026, following a multi-million-dollar renovation.

Spa Castle indoor pool Spa Castle is revealing renovations. Photo courtesy of Spa Castle

4. Mexican 'vibe' restaurant from California to open in Deep Ellum Dallas. A buzzy concept from California is coming to Dallas. Mama Por Dios, a Mexican restaurant chain known for its vibe, will open its first location in Texas in Deep Ellum in the Epic development at 2525 Elm St.

5. These are the 13 best things to do in Dallas on Christmas weekend. From ice skating to theater, music, and more, here are the best ways to spend your free time this Christmas weekend.