The Great X-Out: Elon Musk, Donald Trump, and the (Not So) Massive DDOS Attack
On August 13, 2024, the internet held its breath as anticipation for a highly controversial interview between Elon Musk and Donald Trump on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) reached fever pitch. The event, which was set to begin at 8 p.m. ET, was quickly overshadowed by a dramatic announcement from Musk: the platform was under attack.
"There appears to be a massive DDOS attack on 𝕏. Working on shutting it down," Musk tweeted. "Worst case, we will proceed with a smaller number of live listeners and post the conversation later."
A Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack is a cyberattack that overwhelms a target server with a deluge of traffic from multiple sources, effectively making it impossible for legitimate users to access the server’s resources. In this instance, Musk claimed the attack was responsible for the unexpected outage on X, preventing users from accessing the planned live interview.
However, questions immediately arose about the veracity of Musk’s claim. The Verge reported that a source at X had suggested that the outage was not caused by a DDOS attack at all. "There’s a 99% chance that Elon was lying [about an attack]," this unnamed source alleged.
This revelation added fuel to the fire of skepticism surrounding Musk’s explanation. There was a clear possibility that the perceived outage was simply a result of the sheer volume of users attempting to access the interview, particularly given the significant public interest in the event. Both Musk and Trump are figures with substantial followings and a history of generating controversy, making it likely that a substantial number of people would be interested in hearing their conversation.
Musk himself acknowledged the potential for high traffic in a subsequent tweet, stating that X’s systems had been tested "with 8 million concurrent listeners earlier today." He went on to add that it was possible that more than 8 million people might try to listen to the interview, given the global audience and the platform’s estimated 500 million users.
While the possibility of a genuine DDOS attack cannot be entirely ruled out, especially given the volatility of the online world, there are compelling reasons to consider the alternative explanation of a system simply being overwhelmed by legitimate user traffic.
Despite the initial delays, the interview did eventually begin around 8:40 p.m. ET, with Musk stating that they would proceed "with a smaller number of concurrent listeners." While it remains unclear what exactly caused the initial outage, the fact that the interview did ultimately go through could be seen as evidence that the system was ultimately able to handle the load, even if not without hiccups.
This incident, however, is not an isolated one. In May 2023, a similar situation unfolded when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis attempted to launch his presidential campaign announcement on X’s Spaces audio platform. The platform experienced technical difficulties then as well, suggesting that X’s infrastructure may still be struggling to handle massive user traffic, particularly related to high-profile events.
These technical failures are not just inconvenient but also potentially harmful, as they provide opportunities for opportunistic actors. In the wake of the Musk-Trump interview fiasco, YouTube saw a spike in deepfake videos, using an AI-generated image of the billionaire to lure viewers into fraudulent schemes. These fake videos garnered hundreds of thousands of views, highlighting the potential dangers posed by unreliable platforms and the ease with which malicious actors can exploit these vulnerabilities.
The X-Out incident, as it shall now be known, serves as a stark reminder of the challenges facing social media platforms in the digital age. Balancing the needs of a massive user base with the demands of high-profile events requires robust infrastructure and a commitment to technical excellence.
Key takeaways from the X-Out incident:
- The incident highlights the vulnerabilities of even the largest social media platforms to technical glitches, whether due to user overload or potential cyberattacks.
- It underscores the need for platforms like X to ensure the reliability of their infrastructure and to invest in robust systems that can handle high traffic demands.
- The event also serves as a cautionary tale against the potential for malicious actors to exploit technological failures for personal gain, emphasizing the need for increased vigilance and proactive measures to combat online scams.
Ultimately, the X-Out incident raises crucial questions about the future of social media platforms and their role in disseminating information and fostering public discourse. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, ensuring the security and stability of these platforms will be paramount to their continued success and the well-being of their users.
