New Delhi: Dark Storm, a pro-Palestinian hacking group, has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on X (formerly Twitter) that took place on Monday. The attack resulted in a significant global outage, affecting over 40,000 users. The platform remained inaccessible for several hours before services were eventually restored. Elon Musk, CEO of X, confirmed that the platform experienced a massive cyberattack, stating, "It was done with a lot of resources," and hinted that "either a large, coordinated group and/or a country is involved."
Who is Dark Storm?
Dark Storm Team is a pro-Palestinian hacktivist group known for targeting entities they perceive as supporters of Israel. Their operations often involve Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks and other cyber warfare tactics, targeting governments, infrastructure, and organizations aligned with Israeli interests.
However, Dark Storm is not solely driven by ideology. The group also monetizes its activities by offering cyberattack services for profit. According to their Telegram channel, they provide DDoS attacks on both secure and vulnerable websites, as well as database breaches.
Dark Storm’s Activities
- Threats Against NATO and Allies: In February 2024, Dark Storm issued ultimatums, threatening cyberattacks on NATO countries, Israel, and nations supporting Israel. These threats highlighted the group’s intent to disrupt critical services and government websites.
- Collaboration with Pro-Russian Entities: The group has reportedly partnered with pro-Russian hacktivist organizations, expanding their operational capabilities. They also sell hacking tools and services through various channels.
- Targeting US Infrastructure: Dark Storm has claimed responsibility for cyberattacks on US infrastructure, including a DDoS attack on John F. Kennedy International Airport in October 2024. They cited the airport’s perceived support for Israel as their motivation.
How Did Dark Storm Attack X?
Cybersecurity experts identified the attack on X as a multi-layered Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attack. Hackers overwhelmed X’s servers with an enormous volume of fake requests, severely disrupting the platform’s functionality.
Unlike a typical traffic surge, the attack utilized a botnet—a network of hijacked devices, including personal computers, smart cameras, and routers. These devices, remotely controlled by the hackers, sustained the attack, making it more challenging to mitigate.
X has not yet confirmed whether Dark Storm was behind the attack.
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