Error in AWS’s DNS resolution knocked out apps like Zoom, Venmo, and Coinbase; Amazon says all services are now fully restored.
AWS Outage Sends Shockwaves Across the Web
On Monday, a significant outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS) disrupted access to major websites, banks, communication tools, and even smart home devices across the globe.
- AWS, which powers more than 30% of the global cloud market, experienced widespread service issues that lasted several hours.
- By 6:01 p.m. ET, Amazon confirmed that all AWS services had returned to normal.
What Caused the Outage?
The root of the problem was traced back to a DNS (Domain Name System) failure, a crucial component of how the internet functions.
- Specifically, the issue impacted DNS resolution of DynamoDB API endpoints in the us-east-1 (N. Virginia) region, a central hub for AWS services.
- DNS is what translates human-readable web addresses into IP addresses, allowing browsers and apps to locate the servers they need.
- The underlying DNS issue was mitigated by 2:24 a.m. PDT, but full service restoration took additional time.
“AWS reported increased error rates for multiple services and determined that the issue was related to DNS resolution…”
— Amazon update
Who Was Affected?
A wide array of popular apps and services went down during the outage, including:
- Coinbase
- Fortnite
- Signal
- Perplexity
- Venmo
- Zoom
- Amazon Ring
- Eight Sleep (cooling pod functions disrupted)
Even Amazon’s own customer support systems and Amazon.com were temporarily affected.
The Broader Impact of AWS Dependency
This outage underscores the immense reliance on cloud infrastructure providers, particularly AWS, whose downtime can trigger global cascading failures.
- Millions of companies and organizations use AWS for everything from web hosting and data storage to machine learning pipelines and IoT operations.
- Given AWS’s dominance, even regional outages can have global reach and multi-industry consequences.
Outage Context: Part of a Troubling Pattern
This isn’t the first high-profile tech disruption in recent years:
- In 2024, a CrowdStrike software update error brought down systems globally, including at airports and banks.
- In 2021, DNS provider Akamai suffered a failure that took major sites like FedEx and PlayStation Network offline.
Though AWS’s issue was resolved more quickly, it renewed concerns about centralized infrastructure vulnerabilities.
Amazon’s Response & Next Steps
Amazon has advised all affected users and companies to:
- Check the AWS Health Dashboard for detailed service reports.
- Review operational logs for any lingering issues or required resets.
- Implement failover protocols where possible to reduce future disruption risks.
“We are working to understand exactly how this occurred and are putting in place measures to prevent recurrence,”
— AWS spokesperson (not officially quoted)
