A security warning has been issued to anyone who uses social media platform, Twitter.

It comes after a former Twitter security chief told US congress that the platform s plagued by weak cyber defences, privacy threats and an inability to control millions of fake accounts.

Peiter “Mudge” Zatko, a respected cyber security expert, appeared before the US senate judiciary committee to lay out his allegations.

As he began his sworn testimony, Mr Zatko said: “Twitter’s misleading the public, lawmakers” and regulators.

The platform is “over a decade behind the industry’s best standard,” he added. “This is a big deal for all of us.”

“It doesn’t matter who has keys if there are no locks.”

'Twitter made false cyber security claims'

Zatko made the concerning claims after being sacked as Twitter’s head of security earlier this year.

Among his most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement by falsely claiming that it had put stronger measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users.

Twitter hit out at security claims amid Elon Musk bid

Wandsworth Times: (Brian Lawless/PA)(Brian Lawless/PA) (Image: (Brian Lawless/PA))

Twitter has called Mr Zatko’s description of events “a false narrative … riddled with inconsistencies and inaccuracies” and lacking important context.

Many of Mr Zatko’s claims are uncorroborated and appear to have little documentary support.

Mr Zatko’s claims could also affect Tesla billionaire Elon Musk’s attempt to back out of his 44 billion dollar deal to acquire the social platform.

Mr Zatko also accuses the company of deception in its handling of automated “spam bots”, or fake accounts.

That allegation is at the core of Mr Musk’s attempt to back out of his deal to buy Twitter.

Mr Musk and Twitter are locked in a bitter legal battle, with Twitter having sued Mr Musk to force him to complete the deal.