Microsoft is currently facing a significant global outage that began on July 19, 2024, affecting a wide range of services, particularly Microsoft 365. This disruption has led to widespread chaos, impacting airlines, banks, media outlets, and other sectors.

Key Impacts of the Outage

• Airline Disruptions: Major airlines, including American Airlines, Delta, and United, have grounded flights due to the outage. In India, airlines like IndiGo and Akasa have reported operational difficulties, with manual check-in processes being implemented at some airports. Mumbai Airport has also experienced issues with its check-in desks[1][3][4].

• Banking and Financial Services: Several banks and trading platforms have reported glitches in their services, although major stock exchanges like BSE and NSE in India have stated they remain unaffected. However, some trading applications faced issues with placing orders[1][3].

• Media Outages: Notably, Sky News experienced a complete shutdown, reverting to archive footage during the outage. Other media outlets have also reported disruptions, reflecting the widespread nature of the technical issues[3][4].

Cause of the Outage

The root cause of the outage appears to be linked to a recent update from CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, which has resulted in numerous Windows devices displaying the "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD) error. This issue has affected many organizations globally that rely on Microsoft systems and CrowdStrike's antivirus software[1][4].

Current Status

Microsoft is actively working to resolve the issues, and reports indicate that some services are beginning to recover. The company has acknowledged the situation and is implementing mitigation strategies to restore normal operations as quickly as possible[1][2].

This outage highlights the interconnectedness of technology and the potential for widespread disruption when critical systems fail.