If you’ve spent any time on X—formerly Twitter—over the last few years, you might have seen some pretty weird stuff coming from the Linus Tech Tips twitter account. One minute they’re talking about the latest Nvidia GPU, and the next, they’re supposedly giving away thousands of MacBooks or promoting a sketchy Bitcoin scheme featuring a deepfake Elon Musk.
It’s kind of wild. You’d think a company with over 100 employees and a literal "CTO" like Luke Lafreniere would have their security dialed in. Honestly, though? The story of LTT on Twitter is a perfect example of why even the smartest tech people aren't immune to basic human error.
The August 2024 MacBook Scam: What Really Happened
Just a few months ago, in August 2024, the @LinusTech account started spamming something that looked way too good to be true. They were "selling" signed MacBook Pros for £600. The tweets claimed all the money was going to charity. They even included photos of the laptops next to an iPhone logged into the official LTT account to make it look legit.
It wasn't.
Linus Sebastian eventually confirmed that he got hit by a phishing attack. The crazy part? It happened while he was busy at a personal event—literally while he was lighting his grill. He got an email saying his account was accessed from Russia. In the rush to handle it before his food burned, he clicked a link, entered his credentials, and basically handed the keys to the kingdom to the hackers.
By the time he realized it, they had already changed the password and bypassed his two-factor authentication (2FA). It’s a classic move. These attackers don't just want your password; they use session hijacking or deceptive 2FA prompts to lock the original owner out instantly.
Why Does This Keep Happening to LMG?
This wasn't the first time. Back in March 2023, the entire Linus Media Group (LMG) ecosystem was brought to its knees. That hack was even bigger—it hit their main YouTube channel, Techquickie, and TechLinked.
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The 2023 attack was a bit more sophisticated:
- An employee opened a "sponsorship offer" that was actually a malware-laden PDF.
- This malware stole "session tokens" from the browser.
- These tokens let hackers bypass 2FA because the system thought they were already logged in.
During the fallout of that 2023 mess, Linus was incredibly transparent. He posted a video called "My Channel Was Deleted Last Night" and went into the gritty details. But here we are in 2026, and the Linus Tech Tips twitter history is still littered with these occasional "whoops" moments.
It brings up a weird paradox. LTT is a channel that teaches people how to build secure servers and avoid scams. Yet, Linus himself admitted in a later interview that he "doesn't really care" about the Twitter account as much as other platforms like Floatplane or YouTube. That lack of focus might be exactly why the security there has been a bit lax compared to their internal infrastructure.
The Ongoing Drama with GamersNexus
You can't talk about LTT's social media presence without mentioning the friction with Steve Burke from GamersNexus. This isn't just about hackers; it's about "receipts."
In early 2025, things got heated again. Linus used his platform to ask Steve to stop "misrepresenting" him, but Steve fired back with a massive post detailing what he called a history of unprofessionalism and data errors. If you follow the Linus Tech Tips twitter, you've seen the ripple effect of this. Fans are often split down the middle. One side thinks Steve is on a moral crusade for accuracy, while the other thinks he’s just farming drama for clicks.
This back-and-forth often plays out in real-time on X. It’s messy. It’s loud. And it’s exactly why people stay glued to their feeds. Even though LMG has hired a third-party investigator to look into past workplace allegations (following the Madison Reeve situation), the public's perception is still heavily influenced by whatever Linus tweets in the heat of the moment during a WAN Show.
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Lessons You Should Actually Take From This
If a guy who runs a multi-million dollar tech empire can get phished while flipping burgers, you can too. Security isn't a "set it and forget it" thing.
- Session tokens are the new passwords. Even if you have 2FA, if a hacker steals your browser's "cookie," they are you. Period.
- Burn the "Urgency" Filter. Phishing works best when you're distracted. If an email says "ACCOUNT BREACHED - ACT NOW," that's the exact moment you should slow down.
- Separate your devices. Linus has talked about how he sometimes uses his work laptop for personal stuff. That’s a huge "no-no" in the enterprise world.
How to Stay Updated on Real LTT News
If you're looking for the official word and want to make sure you aren't looking at a hacked feed, check these spots:
- The LTT Forum: Usually the first place the community confirms a breach.
- Floatplane: Their private video platform is much harder to hijack than a Twitter account.
- The WAN Show: Every Friday, Linus and Luke break down what actually happened during the week, usually with a fair bit of "trust me bro" transparency.
Basically, if you see the Linus Tech Tips twitter account suddenly caring about Dogecoin or selling cheap iPads, just close the tab. It’s probably just another Tuesday in the chaotic world of Linus Sebastian.
Actionable Next Steps:
To secure your own accounts against the types of attacks that hit LMG, go into your X/Twitter settings right now and revoke all "Connected Apps" you don't recognize. Additionally, switch your 2FA from SMS to a physical security key or an authenticator app; it’s much harder for a remote hacker to bypass than a text message code.