An Garda Síochána has confirmed that two of its official social media accounts have been accessed without authorisation, prompting a warning to the public not to engage with content published on the profiles.
The force confirmed that its @GardaInfo and @GardaTraffic accounts had been affected by the incident, which occurred on the X platform only.
The apparent breach came to light after both accounts underwent significant changes, with official branding altered and numerous posts promoting a cryptocurrency appearing on the profiles.
The accounts also had their listed location changed to Amsterdam in the Netherlands, raising concerns about the security of the force’s online communications.
The @GardaTraffic profile, which has approximately 600,000 followers, is used to share traffic updates and road safety information. Meanwhile, @GardaInfo, which has almost 300,000 followers, serves as one of the Gardaí’s main public information channels.
The changes to the profiles have raised concerns about the potential for members of the public to encounter misleading content while seeking official information.
According to RTÉ An Garda Síochána confirmed the unauthorised access and said it was investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The force stressed that it had found no evidence of a wider compromise of its systems or data.
“An Garda Síochána is satisfied that there is no unauthorised access with any Garda systems and that there is no loss or impact on any Garda data,” the statement said.
Gardaí have urged the public to exercise caution and avoid interacting with posts published on either affected account.
“An Garda Síochána is warning members of the public not to interact with any content posted on the @gardatraffic or @gardainfo X accounts, or accounts purporting to be these accounts,” the force said.
The warning applies to content appearing on the affected profiles as well as other accounts claiming to represent the Gardaí.
An Garda Síochána confirmed that internal inquiries are ongoing and that it is working with X to establish how the unauthorised access occurred.
The incident has highlighted the importance of verifying information shared through official channels, particularly when accounts with large followings are used to communicate public safety updates.
Members of the public are advised to remain alert for suspicious posts or cryptocurrency promotions appearing under the Gardaí’s name while the investigation continues.
