Global IT outage disrupts multiple sectors worldwide

Erbil (Kurdistan 24) – A widespread internet outage on Friday caused significant disruptions across various sectors, including aviation, media, telecommunications, and banking, impacting operations in numerous countries.

Airports and Airlines Affected

Berlin Brandenburg Airport suspended flights until 08:00 GMT, citing technical issues that delayed passenger check-ins. Turkish Airlines faced similar challenges, with its reservation, check-in, and ticketing systems affected.

The airline's help desk announced efforts to resolve the issue via the X platform (formerly Twitter). The outage also impacted other major airlines, including Delta, United, and American Airlines in the United States, resulting in grounded flights.

Sydney Airport in Australia reported blank flight information screens and self-service checkouts at major supermarkets displaying error messages.

Melbourne Airport advised passengers to allow extra time for check-ins due to affected procedures. Airports in Japan, India, and Malaysia also experienced disruptions.

Media and Telecommunications Disruptions

The global outage forced Sky News in the UK off the air, with CEO David Rhodes issuing an apology for the interruption.

Australian broadcaster ABC and Network Ten reported similar outages. Telecommunications firm Telstra in Australia attributed the disruptions to global issues with software provided by Microsoft and cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.

Microsoft announced ongoing mitigation actions to address service issues, while CrowdStrike could not immediately comment.

Banking and Retail Impact

Banks and financial institutions were not spared, with Australia's Bendigo Bank reporting issues with online banking and transactions.

New Zealand's parliament and banks also faced technical problems. Retail operations, including self-checkout terminals at major Australian supermarkets, were affected, displaying blue error messages.

Technical Details and Response

Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator attributed the outage to a third-party software platform, with no indication of a cyberattack.

University of Melbourne expert Toby Murray linked the issue to CrowdStrike's Falcon security tool, which monitors and responds to computer intrusions. University of South Australia cybersecurity researcher Jill Slay noted the likely "enormous" global impact of the outages.

Ongoing Efforts and Warnings

The UK's largest rail operator, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR), warned of possible train cancellations due to widespread IT issues.

In the US state of Alaska, emergency services experienced a 911 outage, complicating public safety responses.

Erbil Airport Operations Remain Unaffected

After problems in the electronic systems of Europe, the United States, and several other countries, the director of Erbil International Airport told Kurdistan24 that flights at Erbil Airport are normal and no problems have occurred.

Ahmad Hoshyar, director of Erbil International Airport, said the electronic problem has not reached the Middle East border and there have been no electronic or technical problems at Erbil Airport.

He also confirmed that flights at Erbil International Airport are normal and no flights have been canceled.

Dozens of airlines in the United States, Europe, Britain, Australia, and India have suspended flights, and several television channels have suspended live broadcasts due to electronic problems. American Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Delta Airlines, and several others suspended flights early Friday morning due to electronic problems attributed to Microsoft communication issues.

As the world grapples with the extensive fallout from this IT outage, affected companies and agencies continue to work on restoring normal operations, highlighting the interconnected nature of modern digital infrastructure and its vulnerabilities.