A Russian-linked hacking group, Dark Storm, has claimed responsibility for a massive cyberattack that disrupted X (formerly Twitter) on March 10, rendering the platform inaccessible to thousands of users before services were quickly restored.
Cybersecurity firm SpyoSecure first reported the incident, citing a now-deleted Telegram post by Dark Storm’s leader. Screenshots shared on X showed the group boasting about “taking Twitter offline,” alongside images of failed connection attempts from multiple global locations.
Social media figure and NFT entrepreneur Ed Krassenstein also weighed in, stating he had spoken directly with Dark Storm’s leader, who confirmed the attack was a show of strength rather than a politically motivated move.
Dark Storm, a pro-Palestinian hacking group active since 2023, has known ties to Russia and a history of targeting NATO-affiliated entities.
Elon Musk, owner of X, acknowledged the attack during a March 10 interview with Fox Business’ Larry Kudlow. He noted that while the exact origins remain uncertain, the hackers’ IP addresses appeared to be from “the Ukraine area.”
The cyberattack comes during a growing unrest against Elon Musk’s initiatives, mainly targeting Tesla. The company faces protests from the “Take Down Tesla” movement, which opposes the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Additionally, Tesla shareholders have filed a lawsuit against Musk and other executives for allegedly prioritizing Musk’s AI company, xAI, over Tesla’s interests. Tesla’s stock has declined significantly, with shares dropping over 15% to $222 and further down to $215 after hours, despite a 24% gain over the past year. The company’s valuation is still below its December 2024 peak of $480, according to Google Finance.
Musk defended DOGE, stating,
“We’re doing the right thing here,”
arguing that the initiative eliminates wasteful expenditures that taxpayers wouldn’t support.
This isn’t the first time X has been targeted. Last August, Musk claimed the platform suffered a similar DDoS attack just before his interview with U.S. President Donald Trump.
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