From X to ChatGPT, half the Internet went down on November 18, thereby disrupting access to some of the important websites and apps. So, what was the reason behind the technical issue? It was not a cyberattack nor a malicious activity.
The cause was a Cloudflare outage, the core Internet infrastructure provider. In this blog, we will discuss what Cloudflare actually does and why its failure was a big deal.
Cloudflare, Inc. is an American company that provides a range of content delivery network services, like security, performance and reliability, to millions of websites and online applications worldwide. In simple terms, it sits as a middle layer between the users and the website servers.
Though many of us were not aware of Cloudflare until it brought down the web, the company is that invisible hand that keeps much of the Internet running.
It provides a range of functions like the following:
1. Content Delivery Network (CDN): Stores copies of website data on global servers to speed up load times.
2. DDoS Protection: Safeguard online services from malicious traffic.
3. DNS Services: Directs users to correct IP addresses quickly.
4. Security and Firewalls: Screens incoming traffic and filters out malicious requests.
On November 18, Cloudflare experienced an internal service degradation that lasted three to four hours. The issue stemmed from a crash in a software system that handles traffic for a number of its services.
As so much of the Internet depends on Cloudflare infrastructure, it went down due to the outage. Thousands of users were prevented from accessing important platforms like X, ChatGPT, Canva, Grindr and Shopify. Even some of the government websites were also impacted.
Cloudflare addressed the disruption and immediately started working on restoring the services.
“A fix has been implemented, and we believe the incident is now resolved. We are continuing to monitor for errors to ensure all services are back to normal,” the company later confirmed.
Cloudflare further emphasised that, as of now, there are no malicious issues behind the crash.
Yesterday’s network problem across the globe showed how many of the services are dependent on Cloudflare. It proved that the company is one of the Internet's important and essential gatekeepers.
When a service provider like Cloudflare faces issues, it not only affects its own system but also everything from websites to AI tools to even social media platforms.
The incident is also a growing concern about how fragile the digital infrastructure can be and why the need for redundancy is more important than ever.
BUSFAM, a reputed digital marketing agency offering web development services, wasted no time in taking quick action to prevent the effects of the Cloudflare outage on the online presence of clients.
The company specialises in website design, app development, digital marketing, social media and SEO to help clients increase their visibility in the digital world. Known for its technical expertise and client support, the company is well-known for offering measurable results.
Recognising the hindrance of the widespread Internet failure, like security threats, failed website access and broken links, the marketing team at BUSFAM responded efficiently.
The digital team immediately paused all ongoing ad campaigns to avoid wastage of budget. This was done to avoid the risk of redirecting audiences to inaccessible sites or apps that won’t actually convert.
The development department also monitored the sites for any error messages resulting from problems in Cloudflare's system. They did fixes whenever possible to ensure that the sites remained secure.
The team also informed the clients about the Cloudflare disruptions and their impact. The specialists assured them that their sites and social media platforms are constantly monitored and safe.
Indeed, the leading digital marketing and web development agencies like BUSFAM emphasised the necessity of preparedness and adaptability as necessary during a sudden crisis like a Cloudflare crash as an effective strategy.