The FBI has launched a probe into the recent hacking of NBC's Twitter account, which allowed hackers to spread fake information about the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs and a plane crash at New York's Ground Zero.

FBI officials have confirmed that investigators from the agency’s computer crimes unit were probing the incident. They said they were collecting information from NBC, but they declined to discuss details.

A group called “The Script Kiddies,” whose main goal seems to be targeting news organizations, has claimed credit for the hack. The group has reportedly spilt off better-known hacking groups “Anonymous” and “LulzSec,” which have long been the targets of FBI investigators.

NBC investigative Reporter Michael Isikoff said that hackers cracked passwords by monitoring repetitive key strokes.

Speaking on the topic, Isikoff explained, “Federal officials believe they send phony emails with a special attachment that monitors repetitive keystrokes, allowing hackers to crack passwords.”

NBC has condemned the hack and apologized for the incident that highlighted the ease with which fake news can spread at lightning-speed on the internet.