Maltese banks have stated that they have not been impacted by a Microsoft IT outage that has wreaked havoc for many businesses across the world.
The outage, which reportedly commenced early on Friday morning, is the result of two separate issues that are taking place simultaneously, according to a Microsoft spokesperson.
One is an outage impacting global customers of Microsoft’s Azure and Office365 services, while another is a CrowdStrike outage that has impacted Windows machines.
‘No issues being reported’ at major local banks
Many banks around the world have been severely affected as a result of the IT outage, with some employees not being allowed to log into their computers.
However, major local banks Bank of Valletta (BOV), APS Bank and BNF Bank have confirmed to WhosWho.mt that their services have not been impacted and that “no issues are being reported.”
When contacted, an HSBC spokesperson did not confirm whether the bank has been impacted or if any reports of issues have been received. However, they stated that reported issues to ATMs in Kirkop and Gudja earlier today were unrelated to the IT outage. The Kirkop one ran into a "technical hitch," while the one in Gudja had a dispenser failure earlier today. "We are working with our partners to solve these ATM issues," they added.
Airport facing delays, airlines suffering from disruptions
The outage has had a significant impact on the aviation industry, with many flights being grounded and others being delayed.
Malta International Airport (MIA) released a statement on Friday morning stating that “delays are expected” as a result of network disruptions affecting multiple airlines.
“Please be assured that we are working diligently to manage the situation with minimal disruption,” MIA said, before advising travellers to check the status of their flight through the flight schedule.
“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your patience and understanding during this time,” it continued.
Malta International Airport
The IT outage is having significant effects across the world, with Euronews reporting that over 1,000 flights have been cancelled.
Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair stated that it is experiencing disruption across its network. The airline advised all passengers to arrive at their respective airport at least three hours before their scheduled departure time.
Wizz Air informed travellers that there may be potential disruptions to the outage. Certain features on the airline's website have been "turned off" for maintenance.
Turkish Airlines said that the technical issue is leading to problems with its ticketing, check-in, and reservation processes. As a result, some of the airline’s flights have been cancelled.
Dutch airline KLM remarked that like other airlines and airports, it has been affected by the outage, making “flight handling impossible.” A further update said that only limited air traffic is currently possible, and delays and cancellations are expected. “We urge passengers to stay away from airports if their flights are not departing or are seriously delayed,” it stated.
Lufthansa stated that the IT issues have only “slightly affected” its operations, with the greatest impact being on flights to and from Berlin, Amsterdam and Zurich. “There may be delays and individual cancellations at Lufthansa Group,” it added.
Malta Stock Exchange facing no issues, London Stock Exchange down
The IT disruption has also impacted many stock exchanges worldwide, with the London Stock Exchange (LSE) stating that it is facing some disruptions.
It clarified that securities trading has been unaffected, but its regulatory news service was not working.
Locally, the Malta Stock Exchange (MSE) is facing no issues, with its website being fully operational.
Pharmaceutical firms in Malta facing disruptions
Sources have also informed WhosWho.mt that Malta-based pharmaceutical manufacturer Teva and medical device manufacturer Baxter are both suffering major disruptions to their internal online systems amid the outage.
Teva and Baxter, two major pharmaceutical manufacturers with operations in Malta, are facing serious disruptions due to the CrowdStrike outage.
The two firms’ online services are down as a result of the update.
CrowdStrike President and CEO statement
CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz has since stated that the cybersecurity firm is “actively working” with customers who have been impacted by a “defect found in a single content update” for Windows hosts. He said that Mac and Linux hosts have not been impacted, and that the issue is “not a security incident or cyberattack.”
“The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed,” Mr Kurtz continued.
He referred customers to the company’s support portal for the latest updates and further updates will also be provided on its website.
“We further recommend organisations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers,” he added.
Microsoft spokesperson statement
A Microsoft spokesperson said that the media is "conflating" the CrowdStrike issue with the Microsoft outage.
"With regards to the Azure outage, Microsoft is aware of the issue affecting a subset of customers and while acknowledging the impact this is having on customers, Microsoft is working to restore services for those still experiencing disruptions as quickly as possible," they stated.
They said that Microsoft is aware of the CrowdStrike issue and that it is affecting Windows devices due to an update to the third-party software platform, "and anticipates a resolution is forthcoming."
Main Image:
