A major global outage linked to Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure has disrupted several high-profile websites and online services, including Heathrow Airport, NatWest Bank, and the popular gaming platform Minecraft.
The issue, caused by DNS-related problems in Microsoft Azure, has affected connectivity and access to Microsoft 365 services such as Outlook, Teams, and other cloud-based applications across the globe.
Thousands of Users Report Outages
According to outage tracker Downdetector, thousands of users reported issues accessing major websites and online services on Wednesday evening.
Microsoft confirmed that some users of Microsoft 365 might experience delays or connection problems. Its Azure cloud computing platform — which supports a large portion of the internet — reported a “degradation of services” starting around 1600 GMT.
The company attributed the disruption to DNS issues, the same root cause behind last week’s Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage. However, Amazon has since confirmed that AWS is now operating normally.
Impact Across the UK and US
The outage’s effects were widespread, disrupting a range of sectors:
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In the UK, websites of Heathrow Airport, NatWest Bank, Asda, and O2 Mobile were among those affected.
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In the US, users faced issues accessing platforms such as Starbucks and Kroger.
Microsoft acknowledged that business Microsoft 365 customers could face difficulties accessing Teams, Outlook, and cloud services.
The company said it had identified infrastructure connectivity issues and was actively rerouting affected traffic to restore normal operations.
Scottish Parliament Halts Business
In a related development, the Scottish Parliament suspended its proceedings due to technical difficulties with its online voting system.
A senior parliamentary source told BBC News the issue was believed to be linked to the Microsoft outage.
Microsoft has not yet provided a detailed comment beyond confirming the ongoing restoration efforts.
Azure’s Critical Role in Global Connectivity
On Microsoft’s service status page, Azure’s network infrastructure was listed as “critical” in all regions — signaling a worldwide impact.
Azure is estimated to power around 20% of the global cloud market, meaning disruptions in its services can have ripple effects across thousands of businesses.
Microsoft explained that the outage was likely caused by “an inadvertent configuration change” — essentially, an internal system adjustment that led to unintended consequences.
The tech giant is now attempting to fix the issue by reverting to a previous stable backup of its infrastructure. However, no estimated restoration time has been provided.
Experts Warn About Cloud Concentration Risks
According to Dr. Saqib Kakvi of Royal Holloway University, the incident highlights the risks of global cloud dependency:
“Due to the high cost of web hosting, most online infrastructure is concentrated into a few massive providers — Microsoft, Amazon, and Google. But this consolidation means a single outage can cripple hundreds, if not thousands, of applications and systems.”
This latest disruption underscores the vulnerability of centralized cloud ecosystems, raising fresh concerns about resilience and redundancy in global internet infrastructure.
Key Takeaways
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Cause: DNS configuration issue in Microsoft Azure
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Mainly Affected: Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams), Heathrow, NatWest, Minecraft, Asda, O2, Starbucks, Kroger
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Impact Time: Began around 1600 GMT, October 29, 2025
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Microsoft Response: Rerouting traffic and restoring from a working backup
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Scope: Global — affecting both public and enterprise services
Conclusion
The Microsoft outage of October 2025 serves as a stark reminder of the internet’s dependence on a few major cloud providers. While Microsoft works to restore Azure and related services, the disruption has already exposed how interconnected and fragile digital infrastructure can be in today’s cloud-driven world.
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