Musk blames Ukraine for X outage

Presented by Ericsson — Elon Musk said his social media platform X was targeted in a “massive cyberattack” on Monday and later claimed the attack was traced back to Ukraine. {beacon} Technology Technology PRESENTED BY The Big Story Musk blames IP addresses in 'Ukraine area' for X outage Elon Musk said his social media platform X was...

Mar 11, 2025 - 01:00

Presented by Ericsson — Elon Musk said his social media platform X was targeted in a “massive cyberattack” on Monday and later claimed the attack was traced back to Ukraine.

{beacon}

Technology

PRESENTED BY

The Big Story

Musk blames IP addresses in 'Ukraine area' for X outage

Elon Musk said his social media platform X was targeted in a “massive cyberattack” on Monday and later claimed the attack was traced back to Ukraine.

“We’re not sure exactly what happened, but there was a massive cyberattack to try to bring down the X system with IP addresses originating in the Ukraine area,” Musk said in an interview with Fox Business Channel host Larry Kudlow.

Earlier in the afternoon, Musk confirmed a "massive cyberattack" targeted X on Monday, prompting outages for thousands of users throughout the day.

“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…” Musk wrote on X.

Musk’s mention of Ukraine in relation to Monday’s attack comes amid heightened tensions recently with the Eastern European country.

President Trump has ramped up criticism of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in recent weeks. Trump paused U.S. aid to Ukraine and has suggested Kyiv is more of an obstacle to peace than Russia amid the countries’ more than three-year war.

Musk, for his part, has echoed Trump's sentiment, criticizing Zelensky in various posts and replies on X.

Read more about Monday's outage at TheHill.com

Welcome to The Hill’s Technology newsletter, we're Miranda Nazzaro and Julia Shapero — tracking the latest moves from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

Essential Reads

How policy will be impacting the tech sector now and in the future:

Musk outlines DOGE work in rare TV interview

Tech billionaire Elon Musk offered new details about the work of President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Monday, while doubling down on the group’s efforts amid mounting criticism. Musk sat for a rare television interview with Larry Kudlow, a former Trump administration official, on Fox Business Network, where he faced questions about DOGE’s inner workings and its efforts to slash the size of the federal …

Full Story

Mark Kelly fires back at Musk over ‘traitor’ accusation

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) hit back at tech billionaire Elon Musk after he called Kelly a “traitor” for visiting Ukraine and demanding the United States stand with Ukrainians in their ongoing war with Russia. “Elon, if you don’t understand that defending freedom is a basic tenet of what makes America great and keeps us safe, maybe you should leave it to those of us who do,” he wrote on the social platform …

Full Story

Trump: Administration talking to 4 groups about possible TikTok sale

President Trump said Sunday his administration is in talks with four groups about a potential TikTok sale, with less than a month until a ban on the popular video-sharing platform is set to go into effect. “We’re dealing with four different groups, and a lot of people want it, and it’s up to me,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. When asked whether there will be a deal soon, the president said, “It …

Full Story

The Refresh

News we've flagged from the intersection of tech and other topics:

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has deployed its own AI chatbot to 1,500 workers at the General Services Administration (Wired)
Major tech stocks lost more than $750 billion in value Monday amid wider recession fears (CNBC)

Crypto Corner

SEC's crypto realignment continues

Welcome to Crypto Corner, a new feature from The Hill focused on digital currency and its outlook in Washington.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is looking to roll back a Biden-era proposal that could have applied to cryptocurrency firms.

The proposed rule would have expanded the definition of alternative trading systems to include "communications protocols."

Acting SEC Chair Mark Uyeda warned Monday that this "would have picked up various protocols used with respect to crypto assets."

"In my view, it was a mistake for the Commission to link together regulation of the Treasury markets with a heavy-handed attempt to tamp down the crypto market," he said at a banking conference.

Uyeda added he has asked SEC staff to look at abandoning part of the proposal "in light of the significant negative public comment."

The agency has signaled a marked shift on crypto policy under President Trump, who has wholeheartedly embraced the industry since his 2024 campaign.

In recent weeks, the SEC has dismissed numerous cases against and investigations into crypto firms, including Coinbase, Robinhood, Uniswap Labs and Consensys.

A MESSAGE FROM ERICSSON

5G made for the USA, in the USA

Ericsson is building the radio equipment to meet the demand for 5G networks. This equipment protects the supply chain & ensures we have the infrastructure to power continued U.S. tech leadership. Learn more.

In Other News

Branch out with other reads on The Hill:

OPM inspector general investigating DOGE emails, access to agency data

The inspector general for the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) told lawmakers he is investigating the use of a new data system at the agency that has been part of a broader effort by Elon Musk and his allies to email federal workers. The Friday letter from acting Inspector General Norbert Vint to Democratic members of the House Oversight Committee follows a request by the lawmakers to investigate efforts by Musk and …

Full Story

What Others are Reading

Two key stories on The Hill right now:

Trump administration eyes 30 percent payroll reduction at National Park Service

The Trump administration is eyeing a 30 percent payroll reduction at the National Park Service, signaling big cuts at a high-profile government agency … Read more

Canada slaps electricity tariffs on New York, Minnesota, Michigan

The government of Ontario is applying a 25 percent surcharge starting Monday on electricity exports to three U.S. states in response to U.S. tariffs … Read more