A major internet outage affecting Microsoft has caused widespread disruptions in airports, banks, media outlets, and companies globally on Friday. Passengers in airports around the world faced long queues and flight disruptions, with some flights grounded. Several major banks in South Africa experienced service disruptions, causing issues with card payments and ATM usage. The London Stock Exchange also reported disruptions, although trading was not affected. In South Korea, low-cost airlines faced problems with ticketing and other services at Incheon International Airport. AirAsia in Thailand announced issues with reservation and check-in systems. Many airlines worldwide reported delays and disruptions to flights due to the outage.
The cybersecurity company at the heart of the outage, CrowdStrike, stated that the issue was not a cyberattack but a defect in a Windows update, affecting only Windows hosts. Pharmacy chains in Norway faced delays in providing prescription medications, while Paris Olympics organizers reported delays in Olympic delegations’ arrivals. In England, most doctors’ offices experienced problems due to the internet outage, affecting appointment and patient record systems. Despite the disruptions, Paris airports stated that their computer systems were not impacted.
The global outage also affected the Baltic container hub in Gdansk, Poland, leading to temporary closure of entry gates and suspension of business. However, British broadcaster Sky News was able to resume broadcasting after being knocked off the air earlier in the day. Airlines and airports worldwide are continuing to work on resolving the issues caused by the internet outage.
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