A global internet outage has caused widespread telecommunication breakdowns and shutdowns of Windows operating systems, leading to chaos at broadcasting stations, airports, railways, and banks.
In the wake of presumed directed affiliation, Microsoft issued a statement stating that it was taking "mitigation actions" in response to service issues. Although, there is no clear link between the entity and the global outages.
“Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions," Microsoft said in a post on social media platform, X.
Australian telecommunications firm, Telstra, has suggested that the outages were caused by "global issues" plaguing software provided by Microsoft and cybersecurity company, CrowdStrike.
LATEST UPDATE: CrowdStrike has confirmed it is racing to help customers affected by a massive IT outage caused by a fault in its software.
George Kurtz, CrowdStrike’s Founder and Chief Executive, said, “CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted.
“This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website.”
UK and EU
The UK's biggest rail operator has warned that possible train cancellations are likely to occur due to IT issues.
Sky News in the UK said the outage has prevented the broadcast of its morning news.
In Europe, passengers using Ryanair's app and website encountered difficulties with check-in, as an increase in outage reports was observed on Downdetector.com. In a statement on X, Ryanair acknowledged experiencing disruption due to a global third-party IT outage.
Several European airports, such as Berlin Brandenberg Airport, have reported IT issues, warning travelers to anticipate delays during check-in. In the UK, Edinburgh Airport experienced departure board freezes due to a computer error. Amsterdam Schiphol Airport also reported flight disruptions as a result of technical issues.
APAC
Several areas in Asia including Singapore, Malaysia, and Hong Kong, have been impacted by a widespread IT outage affecting critical systems such as flights, banking services, and company operations.
In Australia, major banks and payment systems were among those experiencing disruptions, leading to temporary closures of some retail outlets. The outage also affected airport check-in systems, contributing to significant travel delays nationwide.
Moreover, photos posted online are depicting large queues forming at Sydney Airport in Australia.
Australian broadcaster, ABC, has also reported a major "outage" in its reporting capabilities.
Australia's National Cyber Security Coordinator said the "large-scale technical outage" was caused by an issue with a "third-party software platform," adding that there was no information as yet to suggest hacker involvement.
Premier of Western Australia, Roger Cook, provided reassurance amidst the disruptions, stating, "While multiple departments have been impacted, I would like to reassure Western Australians that our critical services are still operating, and triple 0 services are unaffected."
Some Indian airline operators have also issued a notice detailing that their operations have similarly been affected.
In Singapore's Changi Airport, passengers are facing significant delays and confusion as check-in systems for airlines like AirAsia, Jetstar, and Cebu Pacific remain disrupted. Long queues have formed at Terminal 4, while some flights have been rescheduled due to technical issues.
In Malaysia, the country's railway operator, KTMB, also reported technical difficulties, which have affected its ticketing system and customer service channels. The outage, attributed to a CrowdStrike issue, prompted KTMB to advise mobile app users to restart their devices to regain access to ticketing services. Malaysia's stock exchange, Bursa Malaysia, similarly faced disruptions, which has consequently affected the live feed of the FTSE Bursa Malaysia KLCI.
Hong Kong International Airport saw similar challenges, with Cathay Pacific announcing the unavailability of self-service check-in facilities due to unexpected technical issues. Passengers were advised to check in online prior to arrival and arrive at the airport at least three hours before departure, especially those with checked baggage.
GCC and Middle East
No reports of major incidents have been reported in the GCC and Middle East during the time of publication. However, the appearance of ‘blue screen’ errors upon the rebooting of PCs has been reported by some organizations.
Meanwhile, The Telecommunication and Digital government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) has issued the below notice to CrowdStrike software users in the UAE.
"We inform you of a technical issue with CrowdStrike software update which may impact the electronic systems of institutions using it.
We advise users of the program to hold off on any updates or downloads of CrowdStrike software until the issue is resolved. TDRA is closely monitoring the situation and will keep you updated."
The UAE Cybersecurity Council has confirmed that there have been no indications of cyberattacks or breaches following the global technical outage involving CrowdStrike software, which has affected electronic systems across various strategic sectors worldwide.
In a statement, the Cybersecurity Council has advised users to exercise caution during this time in an effort to prevent cyber criminals from taking advantage of the technical glitch. The Council emphasized that efforts are underway to address the global technical issue in collaboration with official and international partners.
The Council has urged the public to seek information from official sources and avoid spreading rumors.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has confirmed that a global technical issue has affected all its electronic systems and it is advising users to refrain from conducting any transactions until the issue is resolved.
