Tue Oct 21 08:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Amazon Web Services Outage Cripples Major Websites and Apps

Las Vegas, NV – A widespread outage at Amazon Web Services (AWS) on Monday, November 27th, brought disruptions to a vast array of popular websites and applications, underscoring the critical role the cloud computing giant plays in the functioning of the modern internet.

The disruption, which began around 3:00 AM ET and centered around AWS’s Northern Virginia facility, caused significant error rates and latency issues. Users reported widespread problems accessing services ranging from educational platforms like Duolingo and popular games like Roblox and Fortnite, to financial services like Coinbase, Robinhood, and Venmo. Even Amazon’s own website was affected, along with platforms like United Airlines, Canva, Reddit, and Flickr. News organizations including The Associated Press, NPR, and The New York Times’ Games section also reported issues.

AWS, which holds approximately 30% of the global cloud computing market, provides infrastructure that allows businesses to store and manage data online. The outage stemmed from an error in a software update to its DynamoDB database service. According to Amazon, the error triggered a chain reaction of service failures.

“AWS is like an invisible scaffolding that helps much of the internet function,” explained Chang Lou, an assistant professor at the University of Virginia specializing in cloud computing. “They rent out their cloud computing resources to others so they can serve their own customers.”

While Amazon reported making progress toward restoring full functionality as of Monday evening, the incident has reignited a debate about the risks of relying on a handful of dominant providers for cloud computing services.

Betsy Cooper, a cybersecurity expert and director of the Aspen Institute’s Policy Academy, noted the benefits of using large providers like AWS, including robust cybersecurity and convenience. “We all have an incentive to use the big companies, because they’re so ubiquitous and it’s easier for us to access all of our data in one place,” she said. “But, that’s great until something goes wrong, and then you really see just how dependent you are on a handful of those companies.”

The outage serves as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness of the internet and the potential impact of disruptions to key infrastructure providers. The incident also highlights the vulnerabilities businesses face when relying heavily on a small number of major cloud computing companies.

(Editor’s note: Amazon, Microsoft, and Google are financial supporters of NPR.)

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