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- Elon Musk’s X experienced multiple outages on Monday, affecting thousands of users.
- Musk attributed the outages to a “massive cyberattack” involving significant resources.
- The outages were reported globally, with the heaviest disruptions along the U.S. coasts.
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Quick Brief
2-Minute Digest
Essential Context
Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, formerly known as Twitter, faced a series of outages on Monday. These outages, which began around 5:30 a.m. ET, left thousands of users unable to access the platform.
Core Players
- Elon Musk – Owner of X and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX
- X (formerly Twitter) – Social media platform with millions of users
Key Numbers
- 20,000+ – Initial number of users reporting outages
- 40,000+ – Peak number of users reporting issues later in the day
- 5:30 a.m. ET – Time when the first outages were reported
- 9:30 a.m. ET – Time when outages resumed after an initial resolution
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The Catalyst
“There was (still is) a massive cyberattack against X,” Elon Musk wrote on the platform. “We get attacked every day, but this was done with a lot of resources. Either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved. Tracing …”
This statement came after multiple waves of outages affected users globally.
Inside Forces
The outages were intermittent, with the first spike in reported problems occurring at 5:30 a.m. ET and subsequent outages at 9:30 a.m. and just before 11 a.m. ET. Users experienced difficulties loading the app and website.
Musk’s team is working to trace the source of the cyberattack, indicating it is an ongoing issue.
Power Dynamics
As the owner of X, Elon Musk’s influence over the platform’s security and operations is significant. His statement suggests that the platform is a target for sophisticated cyberattacks.
The frequency and scale of these attacks underscore the challenges in maintaining the security of large social media platforms.
Outside Impact
The outages had a broad impact on users, particularly during significant events like the NFL free agency period. Users expressed frustration on outage tracking sites like Downdetector.
The incident highlights the vulnerabilities of social media platforms to cyber threats and the importance of robust security measures.
Future Forces
Given the recurring nature of these outages and the claimed involvement of significant resources, X may need to enhance its cybersecurity protocols. This could involve collaborations with cybersecurity experts and potentially government agencies.
Users can expect ongoing efforts to improve platform stability and security.
Data Points
- March 10, 2025 – Date of the multiple outages
- 5:30 a.m. ET – Initial time of the first outage
- 56% – Percentage of problems reported for the X app via Downdetector
- 33% – Percentage of problems reported for the X website via Downdetector
The recurring outages of X highlight the ongoing battle against cyber threats in the digital age. As social media platforms continue to grow, so does their vulnerability to these attacks, emphasizing the need for robust security measures.
