By: Richard L. Smith
Thousands of businesses impacted by a global computer outage, which has caused delays and cancellations on airlines throughout New Jersey and worldwide.
According to The Associated Press, a widespread Microsoft outage on Friday disrupted operations for various sectors, including flights, banks, media outlets, and numerous companies worldwide.
The global tech disruption seems to originate from an issue with CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm that counts Microsoft Windows among its clients.
One of CrowdStrike’s main products, CrowdStrike Falcon, is a cybersecurity platform widely used by large corporations and government clients, including major global banks, healthcare, and energy companies.
Officials believe the company was completing a software update when the massive issue occurred.
Microsoft reported that it was gradually resolving the issue affecting access to its Microsoft 365 apps and services.
DownDetector, a website monitoring user-reported internet outages, noted increasing service disruptions at Visa, ADT security, Amazon, and airlines such as American Airlines and Delta.
In New York City, news outlets, including WABC-TV Channel 7 Eyewitness News, started their 4:30 am broadcast with a camera shot of the skyline instead of their usual animated graphic as journalists explained the global outage.
The Associated Press also highlighted that airlines, telecommunications providers, banks, and media broadcasters experienced significant disruptions due to the loss of access to their computer systems.
The Newark Police and Fire Departments reported a system-wide outage affecting their computer and CAD systems, though phones and radios remained operational.
As of 5 am, Newark Police officials had not confirmed if the outage was related to the global Microsoft incident.
Several banks globally reported being offline as well. In a post on X, Microsoft 365 stated that they were "working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion" and observed "a positive trend in service availability."
Commuters are urged to stay updated on the situation and consider alternative transportation options during this period of disruption.
CORRECTION: At the start of our 4:30 a.m. newscast, it was reported that NJ train service was affected by the global outage. However, NJ Transit officials confirmed around 7:30 a.m. that their service was unaffected.