Microsoft outage triggers widespread chaos, disruptions to airlines, banks, media
This major technical failure, which has been linked to problems with Microsoft 365 applications, has had far-reaching consequences worldwide.
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – A catastrophic global IT outage on Friday has caused extensive disruptions across multiple sectors, including airlines, financial institutions, and media outlets.
This major technical failure, which has been linked to problems with Microsoft 365 applications, has had far-reaching consequences worldwide.
Germany on Friday said information from its digital security authority indicated a global IT outage had been caused by a "faulty update" from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike.
"The manufacturer of the affected software has communicated a workaround that should be implemented by those affected," interior ministry spokesman Mehmet Ata told a press conference, adding that there were "no indications of a cyberattack".
The crisis began with widespread technical issues affecting Microsoft 365 services, which led to cascading failures across various platforms. Reports emerged of significant outages impacting major banks, airlines such as Delta and American Airlines, and security firms like ADT Security.
The disruption was so severe that DownDetector, a website monitoring internet outages, recorded significant service interruptions at Visa, Amazon, and several Australian banks.
In Australia, the ramifications were extensive, with major disruptions reported across the banking sector, airlines like Qantas and Virgin Australia, and media outlets including ABC and Sky News.
The outages led to broadcast failures and operational halts, affecting news coverage and other essential services.
European financial markets also felt the impact, with the pan-European STOXX 600 index falling by 0.6 percent. This decline reflects the heavy losses sustained in technology stocks, including shares of Microsoft and Crowdstrike, which experienced significant drops.
Additionally, oil and gas trading in London and Singapore was disrupted, compounding the global economic impact.
In contrast, Beijing's airports managed to continue normal operations despite the global outage. Both Beijing Capital and Daxing airports reported no interruptions in their services. However, the situation was markedly different elsewhere.
Indian airlines faced problems with their reservation systems, while major European airports such as Amsterdam’s Schiphol and Berlin reported substantial operational disruptions, including flight delays and cancellations.
Turkish Airlines also struggled with reservation and ticketing systems due to the technical glitch.
Despite these widespread challenges, the Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority confirmed that Iraq’s airports remained unaffected, maintaining normal air traffic operations amid the global chaos.
The extensive nature of this IT outage highlights the vulnerabilities within global technology infrastructure and underscores the urgent need for enhanced resilience and recovery strategies.
Efforts are ongoing to address and rectify the disruptions caused by this unprecedented technical failure.