A significant internet outage affecting Microsoft caused widespread disruptions across multiple sectors, including airlines, banks, media outlets, and various companies worldwide on Friday morning.
The CEO of CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity company at the center of the disruption, announced that the issue was being gradually resolved. The outage was traced to a defect in a “single content update for Windows hosts.” Despite these efforts, problems persisted for several hours after the initial statement.
In South Africa, at least two major banks experienced temporary service disruptions, leading to customer complaints about being unable to make payments using their bank cards or access ATMs. Additionally, Southern African airline Airlink reported that its IT network and telephone lines were down.
The outage significantly affected check-in procedures at numerous airports globally, resulting in long queues. While systems have been restored in some locations, delays and inconveniences continued.
Retail outlets, railway companies, and hospitals in various parts of the world also reported disruptions. These service interruptions underscore the extensive impact of the global internet outage across different industries.