When the AWS outage struck on Monday morning, October 21st, 2025, it was clear just how many businesses, websites, platforms, and apps rely on this single cloud platform – approximately 2,500 to be precise.
Ring doorbell cameras stopped working. Popular games like Fortnite and Roblox froze. My mom's Peloton app, which she connects to on her Peloton bike, would not load content. Even crypto apps like Coinbase blacked out. It was a frustrating start to the week for many, but thankfully, the AWS outage didn't last long – it was only due to a DNS error.
However, this single AWS outage reveals a bigger problem of our digital technology-heavy era. Most global workplaces use one of the three big, trusted cloud providers: AWS, Microsoft, and Google. This has the potential to expose us to risk, where a single glitch can stall routine work activity, business operations, and everyday life in general.
Former FBI counter-terrorism and counterintelligence operative Eric O'Neill shared his insights with us about organizational vulnerability and what leaders and everyday non-tech professionals can do to safeguard themselves and their careers.
What does the AWS outage mean for leaders and workers? If the outage was any longer than it was, massive fortunes could have been at stake and millions, if not billions, of dollars lost. O'Neill explained that a single glitch can have severe consequences on business operations and everyday life.
O'Neill emphasized the importance of building internal resiliency, but also highlighted the need to continue relying on big three cloud services and other cloud providers to mitigate against potential risks. He advised leaders and workers to be vigilant and proactive in safeguarding their organizations.
What steps can business leaders take to mitigate against potential risks severely impacting their operations? O'Neill suggested building internal resiliency, but also emphasized the need for leaders to continue relying on big three cloud services and other cloud providers.
"It's Cybersecurity Awareness Month," O'Neill said. "Three things that leaders and professionals at every level can do to safeguard their organizations are:
* Make sure employees are aware of social engineering attacks and are vigilant in opening the door to your data. * Conduct regular cybersecurity risk assessments, such as a six-monthly review of external vendors connected to technology. * Invest in cybersecurity certifications and training to build resilience and detect hunting attacks in progress.
Cybersecurity certifications are high in demand, with the BLS projecting a 29% surge in cybersecurity roles over the next nine years – significantly higher than the average job growth rate. O'Neill explained that this is due to the growing threat of cybercrime scams and the need for individuals who are adept and trained in cybersecurity.
"The cost of cybercrime on the dark web will reach $14 trillion this year, which means each and every one of us has to take responsibility for our own security," O'Neill said. These skills are currently in high demand by employers and can be monetized as independent consultants. Here are seven certifications to help you build these in-demand cybersecurity skills:
1. AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Associate 2. CompTIA Security+ 3. CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) 4. CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) 5. CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) 6. CASP (CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner) 7. AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner - Essentials
The AWS outage should be a wake-up call for workers and leaders everywhere: the systems that we rely on for daily business operations are vulnerable to risk – financial or otherwise.
It's time to upskill, build a strategy and culture of resilience, and treat cybersecurity as a personal challenge, whether you work in tech or not. By taking proactive steps to safeguard themselves and their organizations, workers and leaders can minimize the risks associated with our increasingly digital technology-heavy era.