Millions of users worldwide were suddenly locked out of their favorite apps and websites as a massive AWS outage brought the internet to a standstill.
On the morning of October 20, 2025, a significant disruption in internet services occurred, affecting numerous major platforms and services worldwide. The root cause has been identified as an issue within Amazon Web Services (AWS), a leading provider of cloud infrastructure. This outage has had far-reaching consequences, impacting various sectors and raising concerns about the reliability of cloud services.
What Happened?
At approximately 7:50 AM BST (2:50 AM ET), users began reporting widespread issues with several online platforms. According to Downdetector, a website that tracks online service disruptions, there was a sharp spike in reports indicating problems with connectivity, mobile apps, and voice control across various services.
The affected services included:
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Snapchat
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Fortnite
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Roblox
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Duolingo
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Canva
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Ring doorbells
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HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) website
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Lloyds Bank and Halifax
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Amazon.com and Prime Video
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Alexa and Amazon's cloud services
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Coinbase and Robinhood
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Perplexity AI
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Zoom, Signal, and Slack
These disruptions led to widespread inconvenience for users and businesses relying on these platforms for communication, entertainment, and financial transactions.
Why Did It Happen?
Amazon Web Services (AWS) acknowledged the issue, stating that it was experiencing "increased error rates and latencies for multiple AWS services" in the US-EAST-1 region, which is a critical hub for its cloud infrastructure. The company reported that engineers were actively working to mitigate the issue.
Reuters reports that the exact cause of the disruption has not been publicly disclosed. However, previous incidents have been attributed to factors such as network configuration changes or hardware failures. For instance, a 2017 outage was caused by a network configuration change that led to the S3 storage service becoming unavailable.
Given the scale of the October 2025 outage, it's plausible that a similar issue occurred, affecting multiple services simultaneously. The interdependence of services within AWS means that a problem in one area can cascade, impacting a wide range of platforms and applications.
How Long Will It Take to Fix?
As of the latest reports, AWS has indicated that it has identified a "potential root cause" for the error rates and delays in the US-EAST-1 region. The company has been working to resolve the issue, but the exact timeline for full recovery remains unclear.
In similar past incidents, AWS has managed to restore services within a few hours. However, the complexity and scale of the current disruption suggest that it may take longer to fully resolve all issues and restore normal service levels across all affected platforms.
A laptop shows major apps and websites disrupted during the October 2025 AWS outage, highlighting the scale of the digital service disruption.
Financial Impact: Hundreds of Millions in Lost Revenue
The disruption caused by the AWS outage has had significant financial implications for businesses relying on these services. While exact figures are still being assessed, the potential revenue losses are substantial.
For instance, platforms like Fortnite and Roblox generate millions of dollars in revenue daily through in-game purchases. Similarly, financial services such as Robinhood and Coinbase facilitate billions in transactions, with any downtime potentially leading to lost trading opportunities and customer dissatisfaction.
The impact extends beyond the tech industry. Banks like Lloyds and Halifax experienced login issues, potentially affecting customers' ability to access their accounts and conduct transactions. Government services, including the HMRC website, were also disrupted, hindering users' ability to file taxes or access other essential services.
While it's challenging to quantify the exact financial losses at this stage, it's reasonable to estimate that the combined revenue losses across all affected platforms could reach hundreds of millions of dollars.
Broader Implications: A Wake-Up Call for Cloud Dependency
The October 2025 AWS outage serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities associated with centralized cloud infrastructure. While cloud services offer scalability and reliability, they also introduce single points of failure. The widespread impact of this outage underscores the risks businesses face when they rely heavily on a single cloud provider.
In response to this incident, companies may reassess their cloud strategies, considering multi-cloud or hybrid approaches to mitigate the risks associated with service disruptions. Additionally, there may be increased scrutiny from regulators regarding the resilience and redundancy of critical digital infrastructure.
FAQs: What You Need to Know
Was this outage caused by a cyberattack?
As of now, there is no evidence to suggest that the AWS outage was the result of a cyberattack. The issue appears to be related to technical problems within AWS's infrastructure.
Which services were most affected by the outage?
The outage impacted a wide range of services, including social media platforms (Snapchat), gaming services (Fortnite, Roblox), financial platforms (Robinhood, Coinbase), and essential services (HMRC, Lloyds Bank).
How can I check if a service is back online?
You can visit the official status pages of the affected services or use websites like Downdetector to monitor the current status and user-reported issues.
What should I do if I experienced financial losses due to the outage?
If you incurred financial losses, it's advisable to contact the customer support teams of the affected services to report the issue and seek assistance.
Conclusion: A Moment of Reflection for the Digital Age
The October 2025 AWS outage has highlighted the interconnectedness of the digital world and the vulnerabilities inherent in our reliance on cloud infrastructure. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, whose company built AWS into the world’s leading cloud provider, has long emphasized the critical role the platform plays in powering modern business and daily life.
While AWS has made significant strides in restoring services, the incident serves as a wake-up call for businesses and consumers alike. As we continue to integrate digital services into every facet of our lives, ensuring the resilience and reliability of the infrastructure that supports them is paramount.
In the coming days, AWS and the affected service providers will likely conduct thorough investigations to determine the exact cause of the outage and implement measures to prevent future occurrences. For now, users are advised to stay informed through official channels and exercise patience as services are fully restored.
