Microsoft Server Outage Disrupts Flights and Services
- Microsoft server outage affects flights, stock exchanges, TV broadcasts, and banking services globally.
- Azure services in the Central U.S. region disrupted around 6 pm ET.
- CrowdStrike Falcon failure possibly linked to the outage.
Microsoft Server Outage Causes Flight Groundings and Panic
On Friday Microsoft witnessed a massive server outage that disrupted services for users and impacted flights, Stock exchanges, TV broadcasts, banking, and other corporate companies. Moreover, CrowdStrike and Microsoft stated that they are resolving the issue.
A Microsoft server outage caused the grounding and cancellation of several flights and other services. The company reported that the outage started around 6 pm ET, impacting some customers' access to various Azure services in the Central U.S. region. Azure, Microsoft's cloud computing platform, facilitates the building, deployment, and management of applications and services.
However, in a recent X post, Microsoft stated “Multiple services are continuing to see improvements in availability as our mitigation actions progress”. After the statement users continued to face problems for hours. Experts say the outage was probably caused by the failure of Crowdstrike Falcon which provides security solutions for Microsoft Windows. After the incident, CrowdStrike's stock price was impacted badly and plunged by 19% in pre-market trading.
Impact of the Microsoft outage
A global technical snag has disrupted airline servers, causing panic among passengers and staff. Major US carriers like American Airlines, United, and Delta grounded all flights, while hospitals and 911 services reported outages. The issue appears to be linked to computers using Microsoft Windows. Additionally, Indigo, Akasa, and SpiceJet faced software glitches in their check-in systems, which use the GoNow suite by Navitaire. Delhi Airport reported temporary impacts on services and advised passengers to stay updated through their airlines.
Moreover, Some TV channels, Banking services and corporate Companies were also affected. As per the reports, some banks faced problems with online transactions. Indian companies located in Hyderabad and Bengaluru faced virus attacks because of the outage and some companies asked their employees to turn off the systems for a certain period.
Social Media Reaction
As the company worked to settle the outage, social media was bombarded with memes and humorous posts. Users joked about "fun office Fridays" and referenced Microsoft's infamous blue screen of death, turning the situation into a lighthearted online event. Some even sent cheeky "Happy Weekend" wishes, thanking Microsoft for the unexpected break. Despite the disruption, the internet found a way to highlight the lighter side of the tech mishap.
Conclusion
The recent Microsoft server outage had widespread repercussions, affecting flights, stock exchanges, TV broadcasts, banking services, and corporate operations globally. Despite Microsoft's efforts to mitigate the issue, users faced prolonged disruptions. The incident, probably connected to a failure in CrowdStrike Falcon's security solutions, also impacted CrowdStrike's stock price significantly. As Microsoft and CrowdStrike work to resolve the issue, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities in our interconnected digital world.
