Reports from Microsoft users worldwide, including banks and airlines, indicated significant outages on Friday, shortly after the company addressed an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. The cause and extent of the outage were not immediately clear. Microsoft acknowledged improvements in the situation, but ongoing outages continued to be reported globally.
DownDetector, a website that monitors user-reported internet outages, noted a rise in service disruptions at Visa, ADT security, Amazon, American Airlines, and Delta. In Australia, various sectors like airlines, telecommunications companies, banks, and media broadcasters experienced disruptions due to lost access to computer systems. Some New Zealand banks also reported being offline.
Microsoft 365 mentioned efforts to redirect affected traffic to alternative systems to minimize the impact quickly and noted improvements in service availability. However, the company did not offer further details about the cause of the outage.
In Australia, NAB, Commonwealth, and Bendigo banks, along with airlines like Virgin Australia and Qantas, encountered disruptions, along with Telstra, an internet and phone service provider. Media outlets such as ABC and Sky News in Australia were unable to broadcast on TV and radio channels due to sudden shutdowns of Windows-based computers.
An alert from Crowdstrike mentioned reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to its Falcon Sensor platform, as shared by a user. The alert was displayed on a password-protected Crowdstrike site and could not be independently verified, as Crowdstrike did not provide a comment on the matter.