Microsoft Outlook outage slows email at 6 Malaysian banks

The Microsoft Outlook outage has slowed email at six Malaysian banks and some Singapore government systems. Microsoft says recovery is under way in Asia Pacific, and mailbox access is improving. Some users may still see problems. Downdetector logged about 200,000 reports at the peak, Bloomberg reported. Such outages matter as Malaysia woos cloud firms, like Google’s US$15b data centre.

Maybank, RHB and CIMB say banking still works. Only email replies may be slow. AmBank, Bank Muamalat and Affin Bank report similar issues. Meanwhile, GovTech says some Singapore government email is hit, but Singpass is not.

Here is what is affected, what Microsoft says and what to do. Importantly, Maybank says its apps, ATMs and branches work. GovTech says emergency lines work.

What the Microsoft Outlook outage has taken down

Notably, email is the most affected. SAYS reported that Outlook was not reachable in a browser at 10.30am Malaysia time. Mail sent from the app also failed.

Overall, most affected services link to Microsoft Exchange, the email service. Meanwhile, Microsoft said Teams chats and meetings stay largely working. However, scheduling meetings and starting new chats may fail.

Moreover, other tools are also affected. Microsoft later said security software, file sharing and admin tools failed too. ABC News also listed SharePoint, Defender and Power BI.

However, Downdetector figures differ by region. ABC reported more than 120,000 US reports for Outlook at the peak. Furthermore, a drop in reports does not mean service is back.

Microsoft Outlook outage cause and fixes so far

Specifically, Microsoft says the extra load did not come from more traffic. It came from many servers going offline, which strained the rest. A process that sets up secure links is overloaded, so servers stop replying. A Microsoft executive, Charles Lamanna, said there is no sign of a cyber attack.

Furthermore, a recent setting change matched the start of the outage. Microsoft is rolling it back. In addition, it is adding virtual machines and forcing a network sync, according to The Guardian’s live blog.

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However, the fixes have not worked as hoped. At about 11am Malaysia time, Microsoft said one change was not taking as expected. Moreover, some machines were stuck and could not sync. It is seeking other ways to add capacity.

Even so, recovery is moving. In its latest update, Microsoft said it finished repair steps in parts of its Asia Pacific network. Traffic is coming back slowly. Mailbox access and late email processing are improving. However, some users may still see brief problems. Earlier, it reported good results from a patch. Microsoft is now taking the steps to other regions and adding capacity. Furthermore, it knows of no attack and will publish a report on the cause.

How the Microsoft Outlook outage is affecting Malaysia and Singapore

Meanwhile, Maybank says its digital banking and other services are safe and working. Customers can still use apps, ATMs, kiosks and branches. Only email may be delayed, the bank said in an announcement.

RHB confirmed a temporary email disruption and said replies may be slower. CIMB advised that email responses may be delayed. Moreover, CIMB customers can call its hotlines or their relationship managers.

In Singapore, GovTech said some government systems are affected, including email. Singpass is not, and it said emergency lines 995 and 999 are fully operational. Meanwhile, ICA said replies to some FormSG services may be late. Urgent cases can use ICA Feedback or call 6391 6100.

Singapore reports on Downdetector peaked at 567 around 9.30am, and have since declined. For urgent matters, use calls and text. GovTech advises checking agency websites or social media, or calling the agency. In short, the recovery is under way in Asia Pacific. Microsoft says service is partly restored. Maybank says its services work, and GovTech says Singpass is unaffected.

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