11. March 2025
Mysterious Forces Behind Xs Shocking Cyber Attack Unveiled
The Mysterious Case of X’s DDoS Attacks: Unraveling the Complexity
In a shocking turn of events, social network X faced intermittent outages on Monday, with owner Elon Musk attributing the attacks to a “massive cyberattack.” However, a pro-Palestinian group known as “Dark Storm Team” later took credit for the attacks in a Telegram post. This sudden shift in blame has sparked debate among experts and users alike.
DDoS attacks are launched by a coordinated army of computers, or a “botnet,” which pummels a target with junk traffic in an attempt to overwhelm and take down its systems. Botnets are typically dispersed around the world, generating traffic with geographically diverse IP addresses, making it challenging to determine their true origin.
Shawn Edwards, chief security officer of network connectivity firm Zayo, emphasizes that IP attribution alone is not conclusive. Attackers frequently use compromised devices, VPNs, or proxy networks to obfuscate their true origin. This complexity makes it essential for companies like X to proactively defend themselves against DDoS attacks.
The attack on X began with five distinct attacks of varying length, starting early Monday morning and culminating in the final burst on Monday afternoon. The internet intelligence team at Cisco’s ThousandEyes also observed network conditions characteristic of a DDoS attack, including significant traffic loss conditions.
Independent security researcher Kevin Beaumont believes that some X-origin servers were not properly secured behind Cloudflare’s DDoS protection and were publicly visible. This allowed attackers to target them directly, making it easier for the botnet to overwhelm the system.
Beaumont explains that “The botnet was directly attacking the IP and a bunch more on that X subnet yesterday, it’s a botnet of cameras and DVRs.” This revelation highlights the potential threat posed by IoT devices and the importance of securing them against cyberattacks.
Musk later stated that Ukrainian IP addresses were involved in the attacks, but this claim has sparked controversy. While some researchers believe that Ukrainian IP addresses were indeed involved, others argue that this is not a significant revelation. Beaumont notes that “What we can conclude from the IP data is the geographic distribution of traffic sources, which may provide insights into botnet composition or infrastructure used.”
Musk’s history of mocking Ukraine and its president Volodymyr Zelensky has raised suspicions about his involvement in geopolitics. As the head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), he has been critical of Ukraine, and SpaceX, another company owned by Musk, operates the satellite internet service Starlink, which many Ukrainians rely on.
The X DDoS attack is a prime example of how complex cyberattacks can be. While Musk initially attributed the attacks to a “massive cyberattack,” subsequent revelations suggest that a coordinated botnet was involved. The fact that some X-origin servers were not properly secured behind Cloudflare’s DDoS protection highlights the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures.
As researchers and experts analyze the situation, it becomes clear that IP attribution alone is not conclusive. Attackers frequently use compromised devices, VPNs, or proxy networks to obfuscate their true origin. The involvement of Ukrainian IP addresses in the attacks, while intriguing, should not be taken as a significant revelation on its own.
The X DDoS attack serves as a reminder that cyberattacks can have far-reaching consequences and that companies must remain vigilant against these threats. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is certain: the line between geopolitics and cybersecurity has become increasingly blurred. The use of botnets in cyberattacks highlights the need for proactive measures to secure IoT devices and origin servers behind DDoS protection.