Several An Garda Síochána X accounts, including @GardaTraffic and @GardaInfo, were compromised and used to promote cryptocurrency, with branding removed and posts redirected to mislead followers.

The breach involved changing account location to Amsterdam and posts being flagged as linked to a suspended profile, while unauthorized content urged users to claim a cryptocurrency giveaway and potentially exposed messages.

@GardaTraffic, with about 600,000 followers, continued to present itself as the Garda traffic and road safety account, even after the breach, and @GardaInfo, with about 300,000 followers, showed older Garda posts but had no biographical information.

Old Garda videos and posts remained visible on the compromised accounts, indicating partial retention of historical content, while one account shifted to a cryptocurrency wallet support appearance.

The incident highlights ongoing issues with high-profile account hijackings, a tactic used to exploit trust and reach, drawing concern about security for state agencies.

Historically, other police and public safety accounts, including the UK Metropolitan Police, Dubai police, and Philadelphia Police Department, have experienced social media breaches, illustrating a wider pattern.

An Garda Síochána has been contacted for comment regarding the breach.

The breach could mislead users into clicking malicious links and accessing sensitive data through direct messages, while the attackers may also access impersonation-laden communications.

Reports indicate the incident began late on Wednesday, with @gardainfo's handle changing to @XummHelpx and @gardatraffic retaining its original handle at the time of reporting.

Officials stated there was no unauthorized access to Garda systems or data; An Garda Síochána is conducting an internal investigation and cooperating with X to determine how the breach occurred, while advising the public not to interact with compromised accounts.

The agency emphasized that the unauthorized access occurred only on X, with no impact on Garda systems or data, and urged vigilance against impersonations.

Some posts carried warning labels due to links with a suspended account for spam and security risks.