A widespread Microsoft outage linked to a cybersecurity software disrupted flights, banks, media outlets and companies around the world on Friday, delaying the start of News4 Today and knocking Metro’s website offline.
Metro trains, buses and Red Line shuttles were running as of 5 a.m., the agency said. The agency had earlier said that it planned to start train service late because of technical problems, but service started on time.
The University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) said it’s working to determine how the outage affects its systems.
“We can confirm that each of our member organizations have implemented downtime procedures to ensure orderly operations and patient safety,” UMMS said.
News4 Today was unable to start as scheduled at 4 a.m. as the outage put computers offline, but the news broadcast went live at 5 a.m. Watch us live here.
Local airports encouraged travelers to check their flight status and dozens of delays were reported. Across the world, Windows users reported seeing a blue screen when they tried to log on.
Computer fix deployed, CrowdStrike says
The outage is linked to a recent update from cyber security company CrowdStrike.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said the company was working to fix problems created for Windows users of its tools by a recent update in a post on the social media platform X.
“This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” Kurtz wrote.
Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was “working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion” and that they were “observing a positive trend in service availability.”
Metro running, but WMATA website is down
Metro said it opened on time even though its “website and internal systems have been impacted by a global IT outage,” WMATA said. The agency is sharing updates on X, formerly known as Twitter.
SmarTrip cards are working, but commuters are not able to use train tracker, bus tracker and “Plan My Trip” services because the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority website is down.
Metro Transit Police are unaffected by the outage, WMATA said. Anyone who needs assistance can call 202-962-2121 or text MYMTPD (696873).
MetroAccess’ call center is down. Metro says it will contact anyone who has a delayed trip.
Delays reported at DC-area airports
More than 100 delays and 15 cancelations were reported at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Dulles International Airport and Baltimore/Washington International Airport, according to FlightAware.
Anyone traveling at airports should check for delays, but we aren’t seeing a high number of cancelations at D.C.-area airports.
News4 Today delayed
The NBC4 Washington newsroom was affected by the outage but was able to go on air at 5 a.m. Many computers showed a “blue screen of death,” and several systems used in our broadcast weren’t working.
Storm Team4 Meteorologist Chuck Bell said only one of seven computers used by Storm Team4 was working.
Microsoft users worldwide hit by outage
The massive IT glitch was caused by a problem with Microsoft cloud computing services early Friday, NBC News reported.
Escalating disruptions continued hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services.
The website DownDectector, which tracks user-reported internet outages, recorded growing outages in services at Visa, ADT security and Amazon, and airlines including American Airlines and Delta.
Microsoft 365 posted on X that the company was “working on rerouting the impacted traffic to alternate systems to alleviate impact in a more expedient fashion” and that they were “observing a positive trend in service availability.”
The company did not respond to a request for comment. It did not explain the cause of the outage further.
In the U.S., the FAA said the airlines United, American, Delta and Allegiant had all been grounded. Travelers at Los Angeles International Airport slept on a jetway floor, using backpacks and other luggage for pillows, due to a delayed United flight to Dulles International Airport early on Friday.
Some of the worst impacts were seen in Europe, including on the United Kingdom’s National Health Service. The outage hit in the middle of the workday overseas.
Stay with News4 for more on this developing story.
