Microsoft has warned customers about increased latency in connectivity due to multiple undersea cable cuts in the Red Sea, affecting its Azure cloud computing services.
The disruptions, which began at 05:45 GMT on September 6, have resulted in “degraded” internet connectivity in several countries, including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, and India.
These countries are experiencing slow speeds and intermittent access due to failures in the SMW4 and IMEWE cable systems near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
According to Microsoft, “network traffic traversing through the Middle East may experience increased latency due to undersea fiber cuts in the Red Sea.”
However, the company assured that general network traffic not passing through the Middle East remains unaffected.
Pakistan Telecommunications, one of the country’s largest telecom providers, has warned customers of potential degradation during peak hours and is working with international partners to resolve the issue.
Undersea cables, which carry global data traffic, are vulnerable to damage from ships’ anchors and targeted attacks. These cables form the backbone of the internet, linking Asia and Europe through critical hubs in the Middle East.
The recent cuts have sparked concerns about the security and reliability of global internet infrastructure. In early 2024, Yemen’s government-in-exile alleged that the Houthis planned to attack undersea cables in the Red Sea, although the group denied responsibility for the cuts.
Interestingly, the Houthis’ Al Masirah TV later acknowledged the cuts, citing NetBlocks, the internet connectivity watchdog that reported the disruptions.
This development raises questions about the potential motives behind the attacks on undersea cables and the implications for global communication networks.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing services have been impacted by the cable cuts, prompting the company to launch an investigation.
The tech giant has been criticized for its links to Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. An investigation by The Guardian, +972 Magazine, and Local Call revealed that Microsoft’s Azure has been storing information, including intercepted Palestinian phone calls in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, for Israel’s military.
Microsoft denied knowledge of Israel’s cyber-intelligence division using its cloud services for mass surveillance but initiated an investigation in August. Recently, Microsoft fired four employees who participated in protests against the company’s ties to Israel.
Microsoft is working to resolve the issue, providing daily updates on the status of the repairs. The company has assured customers that it will continue to provide updates until the issue is fully resolved.
Network administrators and IT professionals can take steps to troubleshoot and mitigate the impact of network latency, such as checking application performance, subnetting, traffic shaping, and bandwidth allocation.