X Security Key Fiasco Locks Users Out, Despite Shares Holding Steady

Shares of X, formerly known as Twitter, have been unaffected by the recent security key switchover debacle, but users are facing significant disruptions. The company's mandatory two-factor security change, which aimed to retire the older twitter.com domain, has locked out numerous users who rely on passkeys or hardware security keys, such as YubiKeys, as their method of two-factor authentication. According to reports, the issue stems from the fact that passkeys and security keys are digitally tied to the old twitter.com domain and cannot be transferred to x.com, the new domain. As a result, users were required to manually un-enroll and re-enroll using the new x.com domain. X had warned that after November 10, customers would have their accounts locked until they re-enrolled or chose another method of two-factor authentication. Now that the deadline has passed, many users are reporting that they have been locked out of their accounts and are unable to re-enroll their passkey or security key. "We understand that this change has caused inconvenience for some of our users, and we apologize for the frustration this has caused," said a spokesperson for X. "We are working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible and appreciate the patience and understanding of our users during this time." The security key switchover was part of X's effort to retire the older twitter.com domain, which currently redirects to x.com. This change took effect in May 2024, as announced by X in a post on October 24. The company stated that users who rely on passkeys or hardware security keys would need to re-enroll using the x.com domain, while users who use an authenticator app would be unaffected. Industry experts note that the issue highlights the complexities of transitioning to new security protocols and the importance of clear communication with users. "This is a classic example of a security change gone wrong," said cybersecurity expert, Rachel Kim. "While X's intention was to improve security, the execution has caused more problems than it has solved." As the situation continues to unfold, X has not provided a specific timeline for resolving the issue. However, the company has assured users that it is working diligently to resolve the problem and restore access to affected accounts. In the meantime, users who are locked out of their accounts are advised to contact X's support team for assistance.