X faces major outage amid claims of cyberattack, Musk blames Ukraine-based hackers

Elon Musk's social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), faced widespread outages on Monday, which the billionaire attributed to a "massive cyberattack" originating from Ukraine-based IP addresses. Although the exact cause of the disruptions remains unclear, Musk suggested the attack aimed to bring down the system.

"We're not sure exactly what happened," Musk stated in a Fox Business interview. "But there was a massive cyberattack to try to bring down the X system, with IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area." He refrained from specifying whether the attack was linked to the Ukrainian government, though he did suggest the involvement of a "large, coordinated group and/or a country." Musk's comments added to the intrigue, but the source and intent behind the attack remain unverified.

Outage tracking service DownDetector confirmed that users began reporting problems at approximately 6 a.m. ET, with more than 20,000 complaints. The disruption worsened by mid-morning, peaking at nearly 40,000 users experiencing issues. Many users across the globe reported that the platform wouldn't load. While the outages began to subside by the afternoon, the full extent of the issue was hard to gauge, as DownDetector relies on user-submitted data. As of the 4 p.m. ET interview, Musk confirmed that the platform was functioning again.

Although Musk suggested the attack was a deliberate attempt to silence his platform, cybersecurity experts have noted that confirming the true nature of such attacks in real-time is challenging. Eric Noonan, CEO of CyberSheath, emphasized that statements made immediately following an incident should be taken with caution, as the facts often evolve.

Musk's tendency to link technical glitches to cyberattacks is not new. In 2024, he claimed a "probability" of an attack when his conversation with former President Donald Trump on X started 42 minutes late. Similarly, other high-profile events, like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign announcement on X, faced technical issues, raising questions about the platform's stability under Musk's ownership.

Musk's acquisition of X in 2022 triggered massive workforce reductions, including layoffs of 3,500 employees. Despite implementing numerous changes, including forcing employees back to the office, the platform has struggled with persistent glitches. These issues have cast doubt on the platform's long-term reliability.

On top of the technical challenges at X, Musk faced financial setbacks on Monday. Tesla shares fell 15%, erasing gains since Trump’s November 2024 election. This double blow has raised concerns about the billionaire's businesses, which continue to experience turbulence.