Microsoft 365 outage could cost Australian businesses billions over 18 hours
Microsoft services went down for roughly 18 hours on Friday, disrupting workers worldwide. Experts warned costs could run into billions.
Microsoft said it was "deeply sorry" for the outage, which began Friday morning and lasted roughly 18 hours before services began to recover. The company said it was a technical issue unrelated to cyber-attacks or AI.
Australian hospitals, courts, schools and government agencies were hit hard. Service NSW asked customers to delay visits.
Federal departments and national security agencies were affected. Experts warned smaller businesses without backup plans could be forced to close.
The Australian Computer Society called on the federal government to urgently review which critical systems rely on a single provider and need backup options.
Why it mattersThe outage exposed Australia's heavy reliance on one US software company and the risks when that provider fails.
AustraliaAustralians unable to be paid, send invoices or access government services were affected. Small businesses face potential closure if they lack backup plans.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 5 h ago
