A widespread software outage caused major disruptions across multiple sectors, including business, healthcare, technology, and government systems. The incident, which lasted less than 12 hours, exposed the vulnerabilities within our interconnected digital infrastructure.
Initial Impact on Emergency and Healthcare Services
Late Thursday night into early Friday morning, states such as Alaska and Arizona experienced 911 service outages, affecting emergency response capabilities. Hospitals also faced severe technology issues, disrupting their operations and delaying patient care. Nurses reported significant delays in accessing patient records and essential medical systems.
Airlines and Public Transit Grounded
Between 2 and 3 a.m., the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded all Delta and American Airlines flights. United and Allegiant Airlines quickly followed suit. Spirit Airlines experienced issues with its reservation system, adding to the travel chaos. Public transit systems in the Northeast began 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 remained operational.
Cybersecurity Concerns and Government Response
At 5:30 a.m., cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike alerted customers to crashes of its software on Microsoft Windows systems, impacting numerous 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, such as ANZ and Westpac, and New Zealand’s ASB Bank, also faced issues. The Portland Mayor declared an emergency as the city’s Bureau of Emergency Communication’s Computer Aided Dispatch system had to revert to manual call handling.
Gradual Resumption of Services 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 advised to confirm flight details before heading to the airport, as disruptions were expected to continue.
Persistent Issues in Healthcare and Transportation
Throughout Friday, the outage’s impact continued to ripple through 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 such as Dana-Farber and Memorial Sloan Kettering paused certain procedures. Transportation services faced ongoing challenges. By Saturday, Microsoft estimated the outage affected 8.5 million Windows devices, highlighting the broad economic and societal impacts. Although airlines largely resumed operations, flight delays and cancellations persisted. Data from FlightAware indicated that more than 3,375 flights were delayed, and over 1,200 were canceled by noon on Saturday, with Delta and United Airlines being the most affected.
The global outage underscored the critical need for robust and resilient IT infrastructure. As sectors continue to recover, efforts are underway to prevent future disruptions and enhance system reliability.
