5 Major Website Crashes and Key Lessons

While it may seem like the internet is always up and running, website crashes happen more often than you might think. When your website is visited by users all over the world, the impact can be significant. Below, we look at five major website failures and provide valuable lessons for avoiding similar issues in your business.

1. eBay’s Longest Downtime

The Incident:
Once a leader in online auctions, eBay experienced a major outage in its early days, which lasted an entire day. This caused the company to refund users, extend auction times, and waive fees.

Takeaway:
Always ensure you have a reliable backup plan. Verify that your hosting provider offers solid backup services. Consider using a secondary server to handle traffic in case the primary server fails. Long downtimes can severely affect user experience and your business.

2. Corey Feldman’s Documentary Streaming Crash

The Incident:
Actor Corey Feldman’s documentary My Truth was set to stream live on his website. However, the stream was inaccessible during the premiere, frustrating fans. Feldman later attributed the crash to hackers.

Takeaway:
Controversial content can attract unwanted attention, including cyberattacks. Make sure your cybersecurity is up to par to protect against potential hacks. A security breach can severely damage your reputation and cause you to lose loyal customers.

3. Toronto Health Network During COVID Testing Surge

The Incident:
During the pandemic, Toronto’s health network faced an overwhelming number of visitors as patients tried to access their COVID-19 test results. This surge caused the website to crash, leaving many people unable to retrieve their results or book additional tests.

Takeaway:
Unexpected traffic surges can happen, especially in times of crisis. A strong disaster recovery and continuity plan is essential. Be sure that backup systems are in place to handle large volumes of traffic, especially when normal operations are disrupted.

4. J. Crew’s Black Friday Crash

The Incident:
J. Crew’s website crashed during their Black Friday sales event due to a surge in traffic, costing the company an estimated $700,000 in lost sales.

Takeaway:
If you’re running an eCommerce website, be prepared for traffic spikes, especially during promotions. Consult with your IT team to ensure your infrastructure can handle a sudden increase in visitors and sales to avoid missed opportunities.

5. US Department of Veteran Affairs Data Breach

The Incident:
The US Department of Veteran Affairs suffered a data breach that exposed the personal information of over 46,000 veterans. Hackers used social engineering tactics to gain access to the system, diverting payments and causing the agency to take the system offline for investigation.

Takeaway:
Educate your team about the risks of phishing and other social engineering attacks. Make sure that all employees with access to sensitive information know how to identify suspicious activities and report them to IT and security teams immediately to prevent breaches.

Final Thoughts

Website crashes happen regularly, but they offer valuable lessons that can help you protect your business. Always be prepared for the unexpected by regularly testing your website’s ability to handle traffic surges. Work closely with your marketing and PR teams to ensure smooth operations during promotions, and take steps to protect your site from cyber threats.

By learning from the mistakes of others, you can improve your website’s reliability and safeguard your business from avoidable disruptions.