Major IT outage affecting banks, media outlets in Australia and globally

·

A widespread Microsoft outage is affecting Australia’s supermarkets, banks, telecommunications companies and more.

The ABC is experiencing a major network outage, along with several other media outlets.

Crowd-sourced website Downdetector is listing outages for Foxtel, National Australia Bank and Bendigo Bank.

Telco giant Telstra has also confirmed some of its systems are being impacted by the outage.

Payment systems have been impacted around the world with customers unable to use Apple Pay to pay for goods and services. Customers at Coles and Woolworths have reported not being able to tap their cards at terminals. EFTPOS appears to be working at some outlets.

Betting systems have also been suspended including at TAB in Australia.

The ongoing widespread Microsoft outage is reportedly related to US-based cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike. Its ‘Falcon sensor’ is installed on many business computers to gather security data.

microsoft outage
A computer showing a blue screen for the Microsoft outage.

“CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon sensor,” the company said in a statement on its website.

“Symptoms include hosts experiencing a bugcheck/blue screen error related to the Falcon sensor. Our engineering teams are actively working to resolve this issue and there is no need to open a support ticket.

“Status updates will be posted below as we have more information to share, including when the issue is resolved.”

In a post on X, the National Cyber Security Coordinator Michelle McGuinness said a “large-scale technical outage” is affecting people across Australia, but “there is no information to suggest it is a cyber security incident.”

Outage hits NSW Police, airports

Emergency number 000 is working, but NSW Police systems have gone down, restricting their ability to share information.

A NSW Police spokesperson urged the public to only contact 000 in an emergency. NSW Police will provide an update shortly on what systems have been impacted.

Victoria Police says its triple-zero emergency number and online reporting remain operational.

“We’ll keep you updated if anything changes,” a spokesman said.

Delays have also swept across Sydney’s domestic and international terminals, hitting check ins during the peak Friday travel rush. In Perth, airport check-ins have reportedly been disrupted. Melbourne Airport says it has been affected too.

Virgin Australia says the outage is preventing all planes from coming and going at Sydney Airport.

Australian TV networks hit

The issues have been affecting Australian TV channels, too.

ABC News Channel has not been showing any graphics or footage, and presenters have been forced to read scripts off computers with the teleprompter system down.

Sky News is also now broadcasting with pared-back graphics. When the issue first struck, the network flipped to Fox News broadcasting, and then a recorded loop informing viewers of the outage.

Nine News and Seven News in Sydney are broadcasting as usual now, but Ten News First was forced to cancel its afternoon news bulletin.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Valentine’s Day, Greek Style: Two couples reflect on love, family and tradition

This year, The Greek Herald decided to speak with two Greek Australian couples from across the nation to ask them how they met.

‘It’s Story Time’ with Sophia Amarandos: A mini dating series on finding love

Sophia Amarandos is on her very own Bridget Jones-esque quest to find love, no matter how many glasses of wine and awkward dinners it takes.

Macquarie University leads the way in Greek Language Certificate awards ceremony

Over 200 people attended the award ceremony of the Certificates of Attainment in Greek Language 2024 that took place at Macquarie University.

Taste of the Aegean: Meet the Greek foodies bringing flavour to Antipodes 2025

This year’s Antipodes Festival is celebrating Greek culture and food with 'Taste of the Aegean,' proudly supported by The Greek Herald.

Inner West Hawks FC kick off 2025 season with memorable launch event

The Inner West Hawks FC officially launched their 2025 season with a vibrant celebration at Club Five Dock RSL on Wednesday, February 12.

You May Also Like

Six step recipe for decadent chocolate baklava

Baklava satisfies your sweet and savoury craving by combining filo pastry with honey, nuts and in this special edition - chocolate.

Stefanos Tsitsipas reaches French Open quarter-final

Stefanos Tsitsipas has reached the French Open quarter-final for the fourth time after a comeback on Sunday against Italian Matteo Arnaldi.

Scientists unearth giant underwater mountain taller than Mt Olympus

Climbing Greece's Mount Olympus is an impressive feat, but an underwater equivalent could be even more astonishing.