Massive Cyberattack Hits X: Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, experienced widespread outages on Monday morning, leaving thousands of users unable to access the site. According to reports from Downdetector, more than 20,000 users initially reported issues around 5:30 a.m. ET, with a second wave of outages hitting at 9:30 a.m. ET, affecting over 40,000 users. The disruptions continued into the afternoon, leaving many frustrated as X remained inaccessible for hours.
Musk’s Response: A “Massive Cyberattack”
After nearly eight hours of outages, Elon Musk addressed the situation on X, claiming that the platform had been hit by a “massive cyberattack.”
“There was (still is) a massive cyberattack against 𝕏. We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of resources. Either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved. Tracing …” — Elon Musk on X
In a live Fox News interview later that day, Musk stated that the cyberattack appeared to originate from IP addresses located in Ukraine. However, there is no concrete evidence to support this claim beyond Musk’s statements. Given his high-profile status and X’s role in global conversations, it’s not surprising that the platform may be a target for cyber threats.
Political and Business Fallout “Massive Cyberattack”
Musk has become increasingly influential and controversial, especially under President Donald Trump’s second administration. His direct involvement in government decisions, including budget cuts and changes to international aid programs, has made him a polarizing figure. Additionally, Tesla stores have been the target of protests over Musk’s unelected yet influential role in government affairs, and Tesla’s stock has also seen volatility amid these political developments.
Recurring Outages and User Frustration
While cyberattacks are a legitimate concern, occasional outages are common for large platforms like X. However, the scale of Monday’s disruption led to widespread frustration among users, with many taking to Downdetector and other forums to vent their disappointment.
One user lamented, “On day 1 of the NFL free agency!? ELON, fix this.” Others speculated whether the attack was truly external or a result of ongoing technical issues within X’s infrastructure.
What’s Next for X?
As of now, Musk has not provided further details on the attack’s origin or whether X is implementing stronger cybersecurity measures to prevent future incidents. Given the platform’s history of frequent disruptions since Musk’s takeover, questions remain about X’s ability to handle large-scale cyber threats effectively.
While it’s unclear whether this attack was indeed state-sponsored or carried out by a coordinated hacker group, one thing is certain—X’s stability remains a hot topic of debate, and its future security will be closely watched.
