On Saturday, Microsoft issued a public statement acknowledging that customers utilizing its Azure cloud computing platform could encounter heightened latency and slower-than-usual performance. The disruption, according to reports from *Bloomberg*, stemmed from the severing of several major undersea communication cables running through the Red Sea, a vital corridor for global internet and data transmission. Such submarine cables form the hidden backbone of the world’s digital connectivity, and any damage to them inevitably has far-reaching consequences that ripple across continents.
In its official service status update, Microsoft noted that internet traffic either transiting through the Middle East or terminating in Asian or European markets was affected by this sudden cable outage. However, while the company confirmed the existence of the disruption, it provided no details on the circumstances leading to the severing of the cables. Specifically, Microsoft did not disclose whether the incident was accidental, the result of environmental factors, or a deliberate act by unknown parties, leaving both the motive and the perpetrator shrouded in uncertainty.
The corporation further explained the complexities involved in addressing such an issue. Repairing undersea fiber optic lines, which rest on ocean floors and stretch thousands of miles, is a painstaking and time-intensive process requiring highly specialized ships and equipment. Given these challenges, Microsoft emphasized that its immediate priority was to minimize the adverse impact on customers. To achieve this, the company committed to constantly monitoring global traffic patterns, dynamically rebalancing the load across unaffected routes, and optimizing alternative pathways to mitigate delays and disruptions until full restoration of service could be achieved.
By the latter part of Saturday, Microsoft reassured customers that its remediation strategies had proven successful, as the Azure platform was no longer exhibiting noticeable disruptions or performance anomalies. While the event underscored the vulnerability of global digital networks to unexpected points of failure, the swift containment of the issue reflected the company’s capacity for resilience and rapid response in the face of complex challenges to international digital infrastructure.
Sourse: https://techcrunch.com/2025/09/07/microsoft-says-azure-affected-after-cables-cut-in-the-red-sea/
