Monday’s possible DDoS attack on the U.S. has caused quite a stir online. The type of attack is designed to overwhelm certain websites and online services with traffic and to render them unusable and many thought it caused issues with social media sites like Instagram, as well as cellular networks like T-Mobile. (However, experts have their own theories on the widespread problems around the web on Monday.)
While Twitter, which seemed to be mostly unaffected, became the place for people to vent their frustrations, a few users pointed out the similarity between Monday’s alleged attack and Live Free or Die Hard. The 2007 action flick was the fourth installment in the Die Hard series, and pairs John McClane (Bruce Willis) with hacker Matt Farrell (Justin Long) to stop a group of cyber-terrorists determined to upend safeguards in the U.S. government. The film featured the expected amount of shootouts and explosions for a Die Hard flick, but this time with added tech. It was based on a 1997 article in Wired titled “A Farewell to Arms,” which details a kind of coordinated attack on that could disrupt an entire country’s transportation, telecommunications, financial and utility infrastructures.
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This type of attack in the film was known as a “fire sale.” While the DDoS attacks haven’t been confirmed as a single attack as of Monday, despite some speculation, some cinephiles couldn’t help but point out the obvious comparison between the two.
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There’s a #DDoS attack thats shutting down cellphone carriers… anyone else getting Live Free Die Hard vibes? pic.twitter.com/JUJDaKD0wb
โ ๐ฑ (@robshitposting) June 15, 2020
Are we under cyber attack?
โ .. (@Torreboho) June 15, 2020
Are we living an alternate version of, Live Free or Die Hard?
Whereโs Bruce Willis when u need em???๐ซ๐ง
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Wow, we are going through some weird moments….DDoS
โ Ahankar Sharma (@AhankarS) June 16, 2020
Just like Live Free or Die Hard https://t.co/ylts9O4ZiN
Fire sale?
โ USAF Vet – working class warrior (@Falcaopods) June 15, 2020
Live free or die hard reference for the non-movie buff crowd. pic.twitter.com/OxG1FLxcf9
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This whole #DDoSAttack in the US has me worried and reflecting on die hard 4 time to send in the only man who can#DDoS pic.twitter.com/CsVQPPoRwB
โ Danny Seals (@thedannyseals) June 15, 2020
Watch the movie โLive Free or Die Hardโ these DDoS attacks remind me of this movie
โ John Wickโs Nephew (@WhiteBoiCorey) June 16, 2020
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In my effort to reference Live Free or Die Hard, one of my favorite movies, whenever I can…
โ Emilio (@EmilioEmm) June 15, 2020
The US is currently under a fire sale, man! pic.twitter.com/M3KI78PmdN
Cyber attack would probably be worst than a virus, imagine hospitals without power or tech?
โ Danny Shabo (@FCB_Danny) June 16, 2020
Remember in Die Hard when they attacked the power plants? That would be wild
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So, I saw this movie called Live Free or Die Hard once…. https://t.co/9nO1RGt0lf
โ Money Is The Cheapest Form of Reparations (@SirKoper) June 15, 2020
This is some Die Hard 4.0 shot
โ DC (@DCinVA15) June 15, 2020
We need John McClane!!
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Anyone else think there is a firesale going down a la Live Free or Die Hard? Cell providers down, banking issues, pandemic, social upheaval…seriously, just get me fuckin John McClane already. pic.twitter.com/RVlU41Nqnw
โ zylb (@dChuckZylb) June 15, 2020
Ainโt this the plot to Die Hard 4? https://t.co/14QgHwY9Eu
โ Thunderlicious (@cpettway79) June 15, 2020