The pro-Palestinian hacktivist group Dark Storm has claimed responsibility for a large-scale DDoS attack (Distributed Denial-of-Service) against X (formerly Twitter). The attack began early Monday morning and has caused major service disruptions worldwide, affecting millions of users.
Elon Musk confirms cyberattack
X owner Elon Musk described the incident as one of the most resource-intensive attacks the platform has experienced. In a post on X, he expressed concern about the scale of the operation:
“It was (and still is) a massive cyberattack against X. We are attacked every day, but this was done with significant resources. Either a large coordinated group and/or a state actor is involved.”
His statement suggests the attack may have been carried out with support from a state actor or a well-organized group of hackers.
Who are Dark Storm?
Dark Storm is a known pro-Palestinian hacktivist group that has previously targeted Israel and its allies. According to cybersecurity firm SocRadar, the group has reportedly collaborated with pro-Russian hacking organizations to expand its operations.
In a post on its Telegram channel, the group published an image featuring Cyrillic characters, suggesting a possible Russian connection.
Global impact — X down in multiple countries
According to Downdetector, the attack has caused outages in several countries, including:
- 🇿🇦 South Africa
- 🇩🇪 Germany
- 🇫🇷 France
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- 🇯🇵 Japan
- 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
- 🇧🇷 Brazil
User reports show similar patterns of service disruption, with only minor regional differences.
X’s past DDoS attacks and security challenges
This is not the first time X has suffered a DDoS attack. In August 2024, Musk acknowledged a similar attack that occurred just before an X Spaces live-stream with Donald Trump, delaying the broadcast by about 40 minutes.
Elon Musk’s controversial role in the Trump administration
After taking an active role in politics, Elon Musk now serves in the Trump administration as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). His new position has drawn sharp criticism and sparked protests and vandalism directed at his other companies, including Tesla and SpaceX.
Summary
- Dark Storm, a pro-Palestinian hacktivist group, has carried out a major DDoS attack against X.
- Elon Musk called the attack one of the largest the platform has faced.
- X has experienced global outages across several countries, according to Downdetector.
- Dark Storm’s cooperation with pro-Russian hackers may indicate possible state-level support.
- The incident echoes a similar attack in August 2024 that disrupted a Trump live-stream.
- Musk’s role in the Trump administration has generated controversy and public demonstrations.
This cyberattack highlights the growing threats facing major social platforms and underscores the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures in an increasingly complex digital threat landscape.