A major software outage swept across the globe, causing extensive disruptions in business, healthcare, technology, and government systems. The incident unfolded in less than 12 hours, highlighting the fragility of our highly interconnected digital world.
Emergency and Healthcare Services Hit First
Late Thursday night into the early hours of Friday, states like Alaska and Arizona experienced 911 service outages, hampering emergency response efforts. Hospitals faced significant technological issues, disrupting their operations and delaying patient care. Nurses reported struggling to access patient records and medical systems, causing severe delays.
Airlines and Public Transit Grounded
Between 2 and 3 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all Delta and American Airlines flights. Soon after, United and Allegiant Airlines followed suit. Spirit Airlines also reported issues with its reservation system, adding to the travel chaos. Public transit systems in the Northeast started reporting problems around 5 to 6 a.m. In Washington, DC, and New York City, public transportation services, including trains and buses, faced significant delays. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s customer information systems went offline temporarily, although train and bus services continued to operate.
Cybersecurity Concerns and Government Actions
At 5:30 a.m., cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike warned customers about crashes of its software on Microsoft Windows systems, affecting many Fortune 500 companies. By 6 to 7 a.m., the White House National Security Council began investigating the issue, initially finding no signs of malicious activity.
Global banks, including Australia’s Commonwealth Bank, South Africa’s Capitec, and the Bank of Israel, reported service disruptions. Other Australian banks, like ANZ and Westpac, as well as New Zealand’s ASB Bank, also experienced issues. The Portland Mayor declared an emergency as the city’s Bureau of Emergency Communication’s Computer Aided Dispatch system switched to manual call handling.
Recovery and Ongoing Challenges
By 8 to 9 a.m., some flights began to resume. Delta Air Lines restarted certain departures and offered travel waivers to affected customers. Airports like Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport implemented extra customer service measures. Passengers were urged to confirm flight details before heading to the airport, as disruptions were expected to persist.
Continued Disruptions in Healthcare and Transportation
Throughout Friday, the outage’s impact rippled across various sectors. The healthcare industry faced significant delays and cancellations of non-urgent surgeries and medical appointments. Major hospital systems, including Mass General Brigham, Penn Medicine, Northwell Health, and Emory Healthcare, reported disruptions. Cancer centers like Dana-Farber and Memorial Sloan Kettering paused certain procedures. Transportation services continued to struggle. By Saturday, Microsoft estimated the outage affected 8.5 million Windows devices, underscoring the event’s vast economic and societal impacts. Although airlines resumed operations, flight delays and cancellations persisted. Data from FlightAware showed over 3,375 delayed flights and more than 1,200 cancellations by noon on Saturday, with Delta and United Airlines being the hardest hit.
This global outage has highlighted the critical need for robust and resilient IT infrastructure. As various sectors work towards recovery, efforts are intensifying to prevent future disruptions and improve system reliability.