(NewsNation) — A major Microsoft outage is raising questions about cybersecurity as experts warn Iran could pose a growing threat to critical U.S. infrastructure.
During an interview with Katie Pavlich, former FBI cyber official John Iannarelli said the hourslong disruption appeared more consistent with an internal technical problem than a cyberattack.
Microsoft experienced widespread disruptions Thursday, Nov. 12, affecting Outlook, Teams and other Microsoft 365 services.
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Microsoft attributed the disruption to infrastructure and server problems, as NewsNation reported.
Microsoft cites technical issues; experts warn of Iran’s growing cyber capabilities
According to The Associated Press, Microsoft attributed the problems to elevated infrastructure loads and servers unexpectedly becoming unavailable during automated health checks.
But the outage comes amid growing concerns about foreign adversaries targeting vulnerable American infrastructure.
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FDD Iran program senior director Behnam Ben Taleblu warned that Iran is positioning itself to use cyber operations as a form of deterrence.
“It’s a thing that the Islamic Republic is positioning itself for,” Ben Taleblu said, pointing to increasingly sophisticated cyber capabilities.
Iran cyberthreats put US cybersecurity defenses in focus
He warned that targets may include power grids, businesses, water facilities and hospitals, even when their security systems are relatively unsophisticated. Taleblu added that Iran could use cyber operations to disrupt civilian infrastructure and create widespread economic consequences without directly engaging in military conflict.
“Any way that the Islamic Republic can generate pain for the West … is something I think they’re likely to do,” Ben Taleblu said.
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Ben Taleblu also cautioned that Iran can draw on tactics and expertise from Russia and China. A <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/CSA/2026/260407.pdf” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>2026 federal cybersecurity advisory confirms Iranian-affiliated actors have targeted U.S. water, energy and government infrastructure.
Iannarelli warned companies against treating cybersecurity as an unnecessary expense. “We’re getting better. But there’s so much more work needs to be done,” he said, urging businesses to strengthen their defenses as threats evolve.
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