Introduction
On November 18, 2025, millions of users worldwide experienced intermittent and error-ridden internet. What happened? A massive outage at Cloudflare, one of the leading web infrastructure providers. This event affected platforms such as
What is Cloudflare and why is its downfall so severe?
Cloudflare is a mega-company that offers CDN (Content Delivery Network) services, DDoS protection, and web performance optimization. Simply put, it acts as an
Possible causes of the November 18, 2025 crash
Although the official investigation is still ongoing, several hypotheses have been put forward:
1. Internal technical error
Cloudflare reported that it was an error in the internal network, possibly related to the configuration of its servers or a failure in the routing system.
2. Infrastructure problems
The magnitude of the incident suggests that there may have been a collapse in the data centers or a failure in the synchronization of its global nodes.
3. Cyber attack (hypothesis partially ruled out)
Although some speculated about a possible DDoS attack, Cloudflare clarified that there was no conclusive evidence of an external attack. However, the investigation was ongoing at the time of publication.
Immediate consequences of the fall
Impact on large systems
- X (Twitter): slow loading times and connection errors.
- Amazon Web Services (AWS): impact on services dependent on its infrastructure.
- ChatGPT: global interruptions with internal error messages.
- Canva and WordPress: access and loading problems.
- Uber and SaaS applications: disruptions in functionality.
- League of Legends and gaming services: mass disconnections.
Impact on users and companies
- Many users were left without access to communication, work, and entertainment services.
- Digital businesses suffered traffic, sales, and credibility for hours.
- News outlets and portals also suffered interruptions, hindering the dissemination of information.
Global dependence on Cloudflare
This event exposes a structural problem: the concentration of internet infrastructure in the hands of a few companies, such as Cloudflare, along with AWS, Google Cloud, and Akamai, controls a large portion of global traffic. When one of these players fails, the impact is immediate and global. The November 18th outage serves as a reminder that the internet is not as decentralized as it appears.
Lessons learned and future actions
1. Variety of suppliers
Companies should consider multicloud strategies and diversify their CDN and security providers to avoid relying on just one provider.
2. Transparency in incidents
Cloudflare quickly notified users about the problem, but the magnitude of the impact demands clearer channels of communication with users and customers.
3. Digital resilience
Need for more resilient structures, which can withstand failures without affecting millions of users at the same time.
Conclusion
The Cloudflare outage of November 18, 2025, will go down in history as one of the most problematic events in the digital infrastructure of the internet. Although solutions are being worked on and it is assumed that the problem has been identified, the global impact shows that technological dependence on a few providers is a real risk. For users and businesses, this event is a wake-up call: digital resilience and service diversification are essential to ensure continuity in an increasingly connected world.
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