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Behind Elon Musk’s X outage: What really happened and why it matters

Published

2 days ago

March 14, 2025

What caused the X outage?

On March 10, 2025, X’s services went down for many users, causing frustration and confusion across the platform.

The outages were significant enough to make headlines and draw attention from the tech community and the media. Elon Musk, ever the outspoken owner, quickly attributed the disruptions to a “massive cyberattack.”

While the initial response was that the attack might have originated from a coordinated group or even a nation-state, Musk’s comments pointed to Ukrainian IP addresses as the suspected source. However, he later clarified that the evidence was not definitive.

Also, several cybersecurity experts emphasized that attributing the source of such attacks based solely on IP addresses is unreliable, as attackers often use compromised devices worldwide to mask their actual location.

So, what was the cause of X’s disruption?

It was a large-scale, distributed denial of service (DDoS) attack. Such attacks involve overwhelming a server with so much traffic that it cannot serve legitimate requests, effectively bringing down the platform. This attack is a common method for cybercriminals to take down websites and was the primary factor behind X’s downtime.

The technical side: How the DDoS attack impacted X

DDoS attacks are no small feat. These attacks flood the target’s servers with excessive traffic, rendering them unable to function correctly.

It’s a strategy designed to exhaust a system’s resources and make it impossible for genuine users to access the service. Experts pointed out that the attack on X was massive and well-coordinated, taking down parts of the platform for hours.

Here’s a timeline of the events on March 10:

Early morning (Eastern Time): Users began reporting issues accessing X, with over 21,000 reports in the US and 10,800 in the UK. 9:30 am ET: A second wave of outages occurred, with about 40,000 users reporting disruptions. This outage persisted into the afternoon.Throughout the day: Users continued to experience intermittent access issues, with reports peaking during critical periods such as the start of National Football League free agency.Evening: By 6:24 pm ET, the number of reported issues decreased significantly to 403 in the US and 200 in the UK, indicating that the platform was stabilizing.

Security experts noted that some of X’s origin servers had not been adequately protected behind Cloudflare’s DDoS defense systems. This created a vulnerability that cyber attackers could exploit, contributing to the success of the attack.

Did any individual or group claim responsibility?

Yes, in the aftermath of the attack, a pro-Palestinian hacker group known as Dark Storm Team claimed responsibility. This group has been active since late 2023 and is known for targeting organizations and governments perceived to support Israel. Their tactics often involve DDoS attacks to disrupt services and draw attention to their political motives.

While X took quick action to shore up these weaknesses, this incident served as a reminder that even the most prominent platforms are not immune to cyber threats if their security infrastructure isn’t up to the task.

Did you know? Cloudflare is renowned for its robust DDoS protection, having previously defended against some of the largest recorded attacks, including a 5.6 terabit per second assault in October 2024.

From fail whale to Musk’s era: Major X outages in history

Over the years, the platform has faced several high-profile outages caused by cyberattacks, internal errors and technical limitations.

In its early days, X (then Twitter) was notorious for frequent crashes, often displaying the now-iconic “fail whale” image to users. These outages were primarily due to the platform’s struggle to handle surges in traffic, particularly during major global events like elections, award shows and sports finals.

“Fail Whale” was Twitter’s old error message, showing a cartoon whale being lifted by birds. It appeared when Twitter was overloaded or crashed. It became a symbol of Twitter’s frequent outages, especially in its early days.

Notable incidents from Fail Whale to Musk’s X era include:

2016 Dyn DDoS attack: One of the most severe outages in X’s history occurred during the Dyn cyberattack in October 2016. This massive DDoS attack targeted a key internet infrastructure provider, taking down major websites, including X, Reddit and Spotify. The incident underscored the risks of centralized internet infrastructure.2020 API failures: In October 2020, a widespread outage due to internal system changes led to API failures. While not a cyberattack, the event demonstrated how a misconfiguration could bring down the platform for hours.2022 takeover disruptions: Following Elon Musk’s acquisition in late 2022, several outages occurred due to mass layoffs affecting critical engineering teams. Reduced staffing raised concerns about the platform’s ability to maintain reliability.2023 rate limit issues: In July 2023, X imposed strict rate limits on users due to excessive data scraping. This decision led to widespread service disruptions, with many users unable to load tweets.

Did you know? The US Treasury is being sued for allegedly giving Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) access to millions of Americans’ sensitive financial and personal data. The lawsuit, filed by the AFL-CIO, claims this access violates federal laws and raises significant privacy concerns. Lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, have warned that Musk’s involvement could lead to unprecedented data misuse.

The growing importance of social media security

The X outage highlights the growing concern about social media security in today’s digital world. Platforms like X, Meta and Instagram have become crucial communication channels for individuals, businesses, governments and activists. Even X has become a hub for the crypto community, serving as a central platform for discussions, updates, and networking within the industry. However, these platforms are increasingly under threat from cyberattacks, misinformation campaigns and data breaches.

Here are some key areas where social media security is essential:

Protecting user data: With millions of users actively posting, messaging and storing sensitive data, social media platforms are prime targets for hackers. Personal information, including emails, phone numbers and even financial data, can be compromised if security measures are weak.Enhancing user authentication: Stronger authentication methods, such as multifactor authentication (MFA), biometric logins and encrypted messaging, can reduce the risk of unauthorized access. Users should be encouraged to enable MFA to add an extra layer of security to their accounts.Fighting disinformation and fake accounts: Cyberattacks aren’t always about taking down a platform; sometimes, they aim to manipulate public perception. Fake accounts, bots and misinformation campaigns can create chaos, influence elections and spread propaganda. Social media companies must use advanced AI tools to proactively detect and remove such threats.Preventing DDoS and cyberattacks: As seen in the case of X, DDoS attacks can cripple a platform. While companies invest heavily in cybersecurity, hackers continue to evolve their tactics. This calls for constant vigilance and AI-driven security systems to detect and mitigate threats in real-time.Regular security audits and updates: Cybersecurity is an ongoing process. Social media companies must conduct regular security audits to identify and patch vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them. Keeping systems updated ensures that the latest security measures are in place.

Finally, as you continue to integrate social media into various aspects of your lives, prioritizing security will ensure that these platforms remain trusted and reliable channels for communication and engagement.

Coin Market

Toncoin open interest soars 67% as Pavel Durov departs France

Published

2 hours ago

March 16, 2025

Toncoin Open Interest (OI) has jumped 67% over the past 24 hours following Telegram founder Pavel Durov’s reported departure from France, where he had been required to stay since his arrest six months ago.

On March 15, Toncoin (TON) OI — a metric tracking the total number of unsettled Toncoin derivative contracts such as options and futures — reached $169 million, representing a 67% increase from the previous day when the reports of Durov’s departure first surfaced, according to CoinGlass data.

Toncoin open interest reaches highest level in 42 days

It is the highest level of OI in Toncoin since Feb. 1, when it was sitting at $171.49 million.

TON is The Open Network’s native cryptocurrency and is the exclusive blockchain infrastructure for Telegram’s Mini App ecosystem.

Toncoin open interest surged 67% on March 15. Source: CoinGlass

TON’s price jumped 17% over the same 24-hour period, trading at $3.45 at the time of publication, according to CoinMarketCap data.

Trading resource account Crypto Billion said in a March 15 X post that Toncoin is “showing signs of a potential long-term accumulation phase as it stabilizes near key support levels.”

However, if this rally is short-lived, around $18.8 million in long positions could be liquidated if TON’s price falls back toward the $3 level it was trading at on March 14.

Toncoin open interest also surged after arrest in 2024

The court reportedly allowed Durov to travel to Dubai, a city with no extradition agreements with many countries.

The market’s reaction signals how significant this case is to the crypto industry. Many are worried that Durov’s arrest in August 2024 in France could set a precedent for cracking down on other privacy-focused services. He was accused of running a platform that enables illicit transactions.

Similarly, when Durov was arrested in August 2024, TON’s OI also surged.

Following the news of Durov’s arrest on Aug. 24, 2024, TON’s OI spiked 32% over the following 24 hours, alongside its price falling almost 12%.

On Jan. 21, Telegram announced it would cease support for all blockchains other than The Open Network for its messenger services.

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Coin Market

Uber angel investor stirs Bitcoin debate with 'build a better Bitcoin' remark

Published

5 hours ago

March 16, 2025

A technology investor who backed ridesharing app Uber in its early days has sparked backlash from the Bitcoin community after claiming Bitcoin will inevitably be replaced by something better.

“Bitcoin has been a wonderful game, but with a couple giant players cornering the market, the timing is right to “build a better Bitcoin” — restarting the game,” prominent angel investor and internet entrepreneur Jason Calacanis told his 981,600 X followers on March 14.

Calacanis, an early investor in Bitcoin-related companies like online trading platform Robinhood and Bitcoin startup Keza, said, “All technology gets replaced over time… and Bitcoin will be no different.”

Opportunity presents for Bitcoin layer-2 projects

Bitcoin (BTC) co-founders and executives were quick to push back, arguing that Bitcoin will not be replaced, though there’s still room for a dominant layer-2 protocol to emerge on top of the Bitcoin network.

Source: Pierre Rochard

Swan Bitcoin co-founder Brady Swenson said, “Winning protocols don’t get replaced; they are built upon.”

“Bitcoin will never be replaced as a protocol for value transfer. The race is still on for the winning second layer protocol,” Swenson said.

Swan’s other co-founder, Cory Klippsten, said, “Bitcoin is a technological revolution changing all industries, not following the adoption curve of a single technology like an iPad.”

Source: Jason Lowery

Echoing a similar sentiment, Lightspark CEO David Markus said, “What it lacks in functionality can be built on L2s.”

“Trying to build a better Bitcoin is a fool’s errand.”

Meanwhile, ShapeShift CEO Eric Voorhees said Bitcoin’s limitations can be solved “on other chains.”

The bigger Bitcoin grows, the “less likely” it is to be replaced

Many in the industry have emphasized the importance of layer-2s for Bitcoin, as they provide use cases that the Bitcoin network cannot support, such as deploying smart contracts.

However, Muneeb Ali, co-founder of Stacks, recently told Cointelegraph that more than two-thirds of existing Bitcoin layer-2 projects will not exist within three years as their initial excitement will fade.

Source: Gastón Silva

Bitcoin advocate Wayne Vaughan said people wrongly assume Bitcoin is easily replaceable because they see it as just an asset, application, or platform.

“I think of Bitcoin as a network. The larger the network gets, the less likely it is for something else to replace it,” Vaughan said in a March 15 X post.

Strive Funds CEO Matt Cole said, “There will not be a “better” Bitcoin. I do think we will get occasional alt seasons of ever diminishing strength that will continue to make insiders money. Most people will end up with less Bitcoin by going to that casino.”

This is not the first time that Calacanis’ comments have caused debate in the crypto industry.

In June 2020, Calacanis said that nearly all of the crypto projects around the world are under the control of “unqualified idiots” or “grifters” with below-average skills.

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Coin Market

Kaito AI and founder Yu Hu's X social media accounts hacked

Published

10 hours ago

March 15, 2025

Kaito AI, an artificial intelligence-powered platform that aggregates crypto data to provide market analysis for users, and its founder Yu Hu, were the victims of an X social media hack on March 15.

In several now-deleted posts, hackers claimed that the Kaito wallets were compromised and advised users that their funds were not safe.

According to DeFi Warhol, the hackers opened up a short position on KAITO tokens before posting the messages in the hopes that users would sell or pull their funds, which would have crashed the price and created profits for the threat actors.

The price of the KAITO token dips, presumably due to a short position. Source: CoinMarketCap

The Kaito AI team regained access to the accounts and reassured users that Kaito token wallets were not compromised in the social media exploit.

“We had high-standard security measures in place to prevent [the hack] — so it seems to be similar or the same as other recent Twitter account hacks,” the Kaito AI team added.

This recent exploit is the latest in a growing list of social media hacks, social engineering scams, and cybersecurity incidents plaguing the crypto industry.

Source: Kaito AI

Vigilance is key: some of the latest scams and exploits to impact crypto

Pump.fun’s X account was hacked on Feb. 26 by a threat actor promoting several fake tokens, including a fraudulent governance token for the fair launch platform called “Pump.”

According to onchain sleuth ZackXBT, the Pump.fun incident was directly connected to the Jupiter DAO account hack and the DogWifCoin X account compromise.

On March 7, The Alberta Securities Commission, a Canadian financial regulator, warned the public that malicious actors were using fake news articles and fake endorsements featuring the likeness of Canadian politicians to promote a crypto scam.

The scam, known as CanCap, played on fears of a trade war between Canada and the US to lure unsuspecting victims into investing in the project, which the scammers claimed had the support of Canadian leader Justin Trudeau.

An example of a Lazarus social engineering scam where the hackers pretend to be venture capitalists experiencing audio-visual issues. Source: Nick Bax

Crypto executives are also sounding the alarm on a new scam from the state-sponsored Lazarus hacker group, where the hackers pose as venture capitalists in a Zoom meeting.

Once the target is in the meeting room, the hackers would claim they were experiencing audio-visual issues and redirect the victim to a malicious chat room where the user is encouraged to download a patch.

The patch contains malicious software designed to steal crypto private keys and other sensitive information from the victim’s computer.

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