Major worldwide IT outage spreads to Singapore

Singapore is grappling with a significant IT outage affecting major services worldwide.

The disruption, which has global ramifications, stems from an issue linked to cybersecurity software firm CrowdStrike.

CrowdStrike acknowledged on Friday (July 19) that it had received numerous reports of "blue screen of death" (BSOD) incidents, referring to a term used for system crashes on Microsoft's Windows operating system.

Singapore impact

In Singapore, major companies are experiencing significant service disruptions.

According to outage reporting website downdetector.com, local companies including DBS, Singtel, M1 and Grab are affected.

Singapore Post also said on its Instagram page that it is currently experiencing "technical difficulties", and that it is working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

"We'll update everyone as soon as the system is back online," the company said. 

Changi Airport says that the check-in process for some airlines is being managed manually.

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"Due to a global outage affecting IT systems of many organisations, the check-in process for some airlines at Changi Airport is being managed manually," it said in a Facebook post, apologising for any inconvenience caused. 

"Changi Airport ground staff are providing assistance to passengers, especially those with an impending departure."

Hotlines experiencing 'technical issues': SIA

In a Facebook post, Singapore Airlines (SIA) said that their reservation hotlines are currently experiencing "technical issues" due to the global IT system outage.

However, there is currently no impact on SIA flights which are operating as scheduled, said the company. 

"Customers who wish to make a new flight booking or amend an existing flight booking are advised to do so via the SIA website or SingaporeAir mobile app," said SIA.

"For all non-urgent servicing requests, customers are strongly advised to reach out to us again at a later time."

Several major oil and gas trading desks in Singapore are also struggling to execute trades due to the outage, Reuters reported. 

The Straits Times reported being affected but did not provide further details. 

Customers of these companies face difficulties accessing online services and completing transactions.

Global effects

The outage's impact extends globally.

In Britain, Edinburgh Airport passengers cannot use automated boarding pass scanners, and security monitors display "server offline" messages. 

Flights at Berlin Brandenburg Airport in Germany are suspended due to "technical problems," causing delays and cancellations.

In Australia, both Melbourne and Sydney airports are advising travellers of potential delays. 

Melbourne Airport's check-in procedures for some airlines are affected, while Sydney Airport has activated contingency plans and deployed additional staff.

Energy trading in both London and Singapore is disrupted, with several major oil and gas trading desks struggling. 

The London Stock Exchange group platforms are out of service, and numerous banks and telecom companies in Australia report outages.

This story is developing.

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editor@asiaone.com