Q3 2025 Internet Outages: Comprehensive Disruption Report
The third quarter of 2025 witnessed significant Internet outages attributed to various causes, including government interventions, natural disasters, and technical issues. This report summarizes the observed disruptions, though it does not provide a comprehensive list of all incidents.
Government-Directed Shutdowns
During this quarter, several countries experienced Internet shutdowns directed by their governments. Here are notable examples:
- Sudan: From July 7-10, traffic was down between 12:00-15:00 UTC, correlating with exam shutdowns due to delayed secondary school certificate examinations.
- Syria: Internet disruptions continued due to exam-related shutdowns between July 12 and August 3, with multiple outages observed throughout this period.
- Iraq: The Kurdistan Regional Government ordered Internet service suspensions from August 23, impacting exam periods until September 8. Nationwide school exam shutdowns were also noted.
- Venezuela: On August 18, SuperCable ceased operations following the revocation of its operating authority, leading to widespread service loss.
- Afghanistan: In September, the Taliban enforced regional shutdowns across 15 provinces to enforce morality, severely affecting educational and commercial services.
Impact of Natural Disasters and Operational Issues
Natural events and operational failures contributed to additional disruptions:
- Earthquake in Kamchatka, Russia: A magnitude 8.8 earthquake on July 29 caused a 75% drop in Internet traffic across affected regions, with services recovering shortly after.
- Fire in Cairo, Egypt: A fire in July disrupted telecommunications services for various providers, impacting traffic significantly for several days.
- Power Outages: Multiple regions, including Tanzania, the Czech Republic, Cuba, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, experienced Internet service disruptions due to power outages caused by infrastructure failures or natural incidents.
Technical Issues and Cyberattacks
Technical challenges also played a significant role in Internet outages this quarter:
- Cyberattack in Yemen: YemenNet suffered a temporary disruption on August 11 due to a cyberattack, leading to a notable decline in traffic.
- Cable Damage: Submarine cables were subject to disruptions; significant capacity reductions were observed during cable cuts in the Red Sea and other regions, such as Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
- Great Firewall of China: On August 19, users experienced anomalies due to problems connected to the Great Firewall, resulting in notable traffic disruptions as well.
Conclusion
The quarter showcased a distressing consistency in Internet outages globally, driven by a mix of governmental actions, environmental factors, and technical failures. Ongoing monitoring is necessary to address these disruptions effectively and mitigate future impacts on global Internet connectivity.
