Elon Musk claims IP addresses in 'massive cyberattack' on X originated from 'Ukraine area'
Mar 11, 2025, 04:22 IST
Tech billionaire and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) head Elon Musk on Monday claimed that X was hit by a "massive cyberattack" originating from the “Ukraine area.” The attack caused service disruptions and raised concerns about cybersecurity threats.
On Monday, March 10, 2025, Elon Musk reported that his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), experienced a "massive cyberattack" originating from IP addresses in the "Ukraine area," leading to widespread service disruptions.
Details of the Cyberattack:
Service Disruptions: Users began experiencing issues around 5:30 AM Eastern Time, with outages peaking at approximately 10:00 AM and 12:30 PM.
Scope of the Attack: Musk described the cyberattack as highly organized, involving substantial resources, suggesting the involvement of a large coordinated group or possibly a nation-state.
Speculations and Claims:
Origin of the Attack: In an interview with Fox Business, Musk stated, "We're not sure exactly what happened, but there was a massive cyberattack to try to bring down the X system with IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area."
Alternative Responsibility: The pro-Palestinian hacker group, Dark Storm, claimed responsibility for the attack, posting screenshots on Telegram suggesting their involvement.
Context and Reactions:
Musk's Government Role: Elon Musk currently serves as the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) under the Trump administration, where he has implemented significant federal budget cuts and workforce reductions.
Public Protests: Musk's policies have sparked public protests, including demonstrations at Tesla showrooms and incidents of vandalism.
Ukraine Relations: Musk's recent criticisms of U.S. aid to Ukraine and NATO have strained relations with Kyiv, leading to accusations from Ukraine of spreading pro-Russian propaganda via X.
Platform Stability:
Since Musk's acquisition of X in 2022 and subsequent workforce reductions, the platform has experienced multiple outages. The recent cyberattack has raised further concerns about the platform's resilience and cybersecurity measures.
As investigations continue, the exact origin and perpetrators of the cyberattack remain unconfirmed. The incident underscores the increasing challenges social media platforms face in safeguarding against sophisticated cyber threats.