Microsoft says a bug in its automated network maintenance request system was behind Thursday's major disruption affecting Microsoft 365 and Azure. According to the company's explanation, the fault led to network changes being applied more broadly than intended.
The issue centered on IP routes being removed from more devices than planned. When those routes were mistakenly withdrawn, customers saw interruptions across Microsoft's cloud platform and productivity services, turning the incident into a widespread Microsoft 365 outage and Azure outage.
By pointing to an internal maintenance bug, Microsoft has framed the event as a problem tied to automation in its network operations rather than an outside attack. The description suggests the outage was caused by a failed maintenance process that affected core connectivity used by multiple services.
The incident drew attention because it hit both Azure infrastructure and Microsoft 365 tools at the same time, showing how network-level errors can ripple across widely used cloud products. Microsoft's account indicates that a single bug in a maintenance workflow was enough to trigger a broad service disruption.
