Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter) has been hit by what he describes as a massive and highly coordinated cyberattack, disrupting service for tens of thousands of users and raising questions about the platform's cybersecurity resilience.
According to data from Downdetector, more than 40,000 users in the U.S. reported issues with X during the attack, with the majority facing problems on the mobile app.
Roughly a third of complaints related to the website's functionality, particularly on the East and West Coasts.
Musk Suspects a Serious Player
In a public statement, Musk said the nature and scale of the cyberattack point to either a well-organized hacker collective or a state-sponsored effort.
He added that some of the IP addresses involved in the attack were traced to Ukraine, although he admitted that such indicators can be misleading.
Cybersecurity analysts agree, warning that IP spoofing is common and that this detail alone does not implicate any specific group or government.
No Clear Culprit Yet
With no group claiming responsibility and no concrete forensic evidence, the origins of the attack remain unclear. Musk’s contentious relationships with both governments and activist hacker groups such as Anonymous have led some experts to suggest he may have more than one potential adversary.
"The duration and sophistication of the attack suggest it was premeditated and well-resourced," said one cybersecurity expert quoted by SMP. "But without more details, it’s all speculation."
Trouble Piling Up for X
The attack comes at a difficult time for X. The platform has already faced declining ad revenue, criticism over content moderation, and increasing user frustration since Musk’s takeover. A major outage of this scale adds further pressure on the company’s leadership and its promise to deliver a more secure and scalable platform.
Musk has responded by pledging to increase investment in cybersecurity, emphasizing that platform security will become a top priority moving forward. "We’re working around the clock to harden our defenses," he said.
As X continues its evolution under Musk’s leadership — including expanded AI integration and financial services — experts warn it may become an even more tempting target for malicious actors.
“It’s not just a social media platform anymore,” said a digital risk analyst. “It’s a battleground of influence, and that makes it a high-value target.”
