Hacking group ‘Dark Storm’ claims responsibility for DDoS attack on X

A significant cyberattack targeted the social media platform X, rendering it temporarily inaccessible to thousands of users. Responsibility for the Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack has been claimed by the pro-Palestinian hacker group Dark Storm, which has connections to Russia. This attack was highlighted by cybersecurity group SpyoSecure through a post on X on March 10, confirming that Dark Storm took credit for the incident in a now-deleted Telegram announcement.

SpyoSecure shared a message stating, “To anyone wondering why X (Twitter) was down, it was under attack by Dark Storm Team.” The hackers provided screenshots showing connection failures from multiple global locations, asserting their claim of having taken X offline.

Additionally, social media figure Ed Krassenstein, known for his work with NFT marketplace NFTz.me, reported that he had been in contact with Dark Storm’s leader. According to him, the group’s motive behind the attack was purely a demonstration of strength without any political agenda. Dark Storm has emerged as a notable entity in cyberspace since 2023, predominantly targeting NATO-affiliated nations.

Elon Musk, the owner of the platform, acknowledged the cyberattack during an interview on March 10 with Fox Business. He disclosed that preliminary investigations suggest the hackers’ IP addresses may have originated from the Ukraine region. “We’re not sure exactly what happened but there was a massive cyberattack to try and bring down the X system,” Musk stated, reflecting the gravity of the incident.

The onset of this cyberattack intersects with ongoing protests against Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which aims to streamline governmental spending amid a wave of criticisms and violence at Tesla facilities across the United States. Regardless of these protests, Musk remains steadfast in his belief that the initiatives under DOGE are necessary, arguing that many expenditures lack justification from a taxpayer standpoint.

Interestingly, Tesla’s stock appears to reflect the turbulent atmosphere surrounding Musk’s endeavors. Following the protests and the cyberattack, Tesla shares have dipped significantly, closing over 15% lower at $222 per share, with a further decline in after-hours trading. Although the stock has seen an overall rise of 24% over the past year, it remains considerably below its record of $480 achieved in December 2024.

This isn’t the first cyberattack faced by X; Musk had previously reported a DDoS attack last August, which occurred just before his interview with then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. The frequency and magnitude of such attacks raise significant questions about the security robustness of major social media platforms.