Tech
Cloudflare contrite after worst outage since 2019 | Computer Weekly
Cloudflare co-founder and CEO Matthew Prince has described the Tuesday 18 November hiccup that disrupted global internet traffic for hours as the organisation’s worst outage since 2019, saying that the traffic management giant has not experienced an issue that has caused the majority of core traffic to stop flowing through its network in more than six years.
“An outage like today is unacceptable. We’ve architected our systems to be highly resilient to failure to ensure traffic will always continue to flow. When we’ve had outages in the past, it’s always led to us building new, more resilient systems,” said Prince. “On behalf of the entire team at Cloudflare, I would like to apologise for the pain we caused the internet today.”
The Cloudflare outage began at 11.20am UTC (6.20am EST) on Tuesday when its network began experiencing significant failures to deliver core traffic, which manifested to ordinary web users as an error page indicating a Cloudflare network failure when they tried to access a customer site. The issue was triggered not by a cyber attack or malicious activity, but a minor change affecting a file used by Cloudflare’s Bot Management security system.
Cloudflare Bot Management includes a machine learning model that generates bot “scores” for any request crossing the network – these scores are used by customers to allow or disallow bots from accessing their sites. It relies on a feature configuration file that the model uses to predict whether a request is automated or not, and because the bot landscape is so dynamic, it is refreshed and pushed live every few minutes specifically so that Cloudflare can react to new bots and attacks.
The outage originated from a change to database system permissions that caused said database to output multiple entries into the feature configuration file. The file rapidly increased in size and was unfortunately propagated to all the machines comprising Cloudflare’s network. These machines – which route traffic across the network – were supposed to read the file to update the Bot Management system but because their software has a limit on the size of the feature file, it failed when the larger-than-expected feature file showed up, causing the machines to crash.
DDoS confusion
Prince said Cloudflare’s tech teams at first suspected they were seeing a hyperscale distributed-denial-of-service (DDoS) attack because of two factors. First, Cloudflare’s own status page, which is hosted off its infrastructure with no dependencies, coincidentally went down. Second, at the beginning of the outage period, Cloudflare saw brief periods of apparent system recovery.
This was not, however, the result of threat actor activity – rather, it was happening because the feature file was being generated every five minutes by a query running on a ClickHouse database cluster, which was itself in the process of being updated to improve permissions management.
The dodgy file was therefore only generated if the query ran on an updated part of the cluster, so every five minutes there was a chance of either normal or abnormal feature files being generated and propagated.
“This fluctuation made it unclear what was happening as the entire system would recover and then fail again as sometimes good, sometimes bad configuration files were distributed to our network,” said Prince. “Initially, this led us to believe this might be caused by an attack. Eventually, every ClickHouse node was generating the bad configuration file and the fluctuation stabilised in the failing state.”
These errors continued until the tech team was able to identify the issue and resolve it by stopping the generation and propagation of the bad feature file, manually inserting a “known good” file into the distribution queue, and then turning the core proxy off and on again. This done, things started to return to normal from 2.30pm onwards, and the number of baseline errors on Cloudflare’s network returned to normal about two-and-a-half hours later.
Risk and resilience
Although Cloudflare was not itself attacked by a threat actor, the outage is still a serious cyber risk issue with lessons to be learned not just at Cloudflare, but among all organisations, whether or not they are customers. It has exposed a deeper, systemic risk in that too much of the internet’s infrastructure rests on only a few shoulders.
Ryan Polk, policy director at US-based non-profit the Internet Society, said that market concentration among content delivery networks (CDNs) had steadily increased since 2020: “CDNs offer clear advantages – they improve reliability, reduce latency and lower transit demand. However, when too much internet traffic is concentrated within a few providers, these networks can become single points of failure that disrupt access to large parts of the internet.
“Organisations should assess the resilience of the services they rely on and examine their supply chains. Which systems and providers are critical to their operations? Where do single points of failure exist? Companies should explore ways to diversify, such as using multiple cloud, CDN or authentication providers to reduce risk and improve overall resilience.”
Martin Greenfield, CEO at Quod Orbis, a continuous monitoring platform, added: “When a single auto-generated configuration file can take major parts of the web offline, that’s not purely a Cloudflare issue but a fragility problem that has become baked into how organisations build their security stacks.
“Automation makes security scalable, but when automated configuration propagates instantly across a global network, it also scales failure. What’s missing in most organisations, and was clearly missing here, is automated assurance that validates those configurations before they go live. Automation without assurance is fragility at scale and relying on one vendor can’t stand up for an effective resilience strategy.”
For its part, Prince said Cloudflare will be taking steps to lessen the chances of such an issue cropping up again in the future. These include hardening the ingestion of Cloudflare-generated configuration files in the same way it would do for user-generated inputs, enabling global kill-switches for features, working to eliminate the ability for core dumps or error reports to overwhelm system resources, and reviewing failure modes for error conditions across all of its core proxy modules.
Tech
These Are the Best Tech Deals to Shop This Cyber Monday
Welcome to WIRED’s guide to the best Cyber Monday tech deals, where we can promise you two things: these devices are worth buying (we’ve tested and recommended every one of them), and these are actual discounts (not the year-round price). So, whether you need an upgrade, want to treat yourself, or are seeking a great gift, we have you covered.
Want a wider range of deals? Check out the Absolute Best Black Friday Deals roundup to find more bargains this sale weekend.
Updated November 30: We’ve added deals on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, Apple AirPods Pro 2, and Apple Watch SE 3.
The Google Pixel 10 is one of the best Android phones you can buy. Easy to recommend at full price, the Pixel 10 is an absolute bargain with this discount. You get an excellent triple-camera system with a 5X optical zoom sensor, support for Qi2 wireless charging, so you can magnetically attach to wireless chargers and docks, and Google’s super smart software features (Call Screen to filter out spam calls is our favorite). Learn more in the Best Pixel Phones guide.
The Pixel 9a is our top smartphone choice for most people, and it’s now $50 cheaper than it was on Black Friday itself. At $349, you’re getting a smooth-performing smartphone with a reliable dual-camera system that’s unmatched at this price, not to mention day-long battery life and a completely flat camera lens system for anyone who hates giant camera bumps. Oh, and it’ll get 7 years of software updates.
Sony’s A7 IV is the best mirrorless camera on the market (for most people). It’s a 33-megapixel, full-frame camera with a brilliant autofocus system, impressive dynamic range, and crisp images. There’s an expansive range of 4K video options as well, along with customizable buttons to set up your preferences, so you don’t have to always rummage through the menus. Reviewer Scott Gilbertson found the grip to be super comfortable and the camera to be light enough to endure for long periods without any back strain. —Boutayna Chokrane
If you’re shopping for open earbuds so that you can enjoy your music but still be aware of your surroundings, the Soundcore Aeroclip is the best we’ve tested so far. Reviewer Ryan Waniata praises the comfort, sound quality, usability, and value. The sound is wide and balanced, and the built-in controls are ideal for runs. Waniata likes to use them during outdoor activities, like hiking or biking, but he finds them especially helpful when he’s cooking dinner and needs to stay alert for his newborn’s cries. —Boutayna Chokrane
Editor Adrienne So says the Fitbit Ace LTE is the first fitness tracker she’s gotten her kids to use. It’s a fitness tracker (designed with Fitbit’s health sensors), gaming device, and location tracker. The $10/monthly subscription includes both LTE connectivity and Fitbit Arcade, which has a variety of movement-based games that get children on their feet and incentivize them to keep their watches on. They can call and text their guardians (and other approved contacts) through the Fitbit Ace app, and their location is trackable via Google Find My. —Boutayna Chokrane
This is a rare and tasty deal on my favorite Xmas lights. They work indoors or out, can be scheduled, and support a bunch of lovely animated effects. While I’m mentioning Philips Hue and its excellent but horribly expensive wares, you might want to check out some of its other Cyber Monday deals. My picks would be the wall washers ($316), TV lightstrip ($129), and HDMI sync box ($270).
The Asus RT-BE58U is perhaps the ideal Wi-Fi 7 upgrade for modest homes and apartments still struggling with the crappy router their internet service provider sent, and that’s why it tops our Best Wi-Fi Routers guide. It’s easy to set up and use, can cover up to 2,000 square feet, and boasts plenty of ports. As a dual-band router, it lacks the 6-GHz band, but has all the other advantages of Wi-Fi 7. There’s also support for VPN service, separate IoT or guest networks, and Ai Mesh.
Don’t ask me why they keep taking our ports away. God forbid you should want to plug something into your laptop. Well, you can stick it to those minimalist designers with the best laptop docking station. This one doubles as a wedge to prop your laptop up and has a storage slot.
These wireless noise-canceling headphones may not be the latest release from Sony, but they are still an excellent pair of cans with a far deeper discount. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are relatively light and comfortable, producing accomplished sound in every scenario, and have great control options.
You can spend a lot on a TV, but you can also get a great screen without breaking the bank, and the TCL QM6K proves it. This is the best TV for most people right now as it offers excellent color and processing, all the apps you want, and great performance, even in bright rooms. There are discounts across the range of screen sizes.
If you want to get the latest streaming apps on an older TV, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus is for you. It’s easy to set up, works reliably, and has a handy voice remote that makes finding content easier than ever. It slots neatly behind most TVs, and Roku’s interface is nice and clear.
Apple doesn’t really do sales, but other retailers do. This is the lowest price we’ve seen on a solid iPad the whole family can enjoy. The Apple iPad (A16, 2025) performs great for most tasks, looks pretty nice, and has a 12-megapixel camera. It is honestly all the iPad most folks need for surfing the web and streaming shows in bed. With iPadOS 26 and the new windowing apps feature, you can even comfortably do some work if you pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.
Handy as they are for keeping you connected when your phone dies unexpectedly, portable chargers can be very same-y. The reason the Nimble Champ tops our Best Power Banks guide is Nimble’s focus on the environment. It’s made from 90 percent certified recycled plastic and comes in fully biodegradable packaging. It also works well, with capacities starting from 5,200 mAh, with USB-A and USB-C ports, and up to 15-watt charging.
Yes, you should read more, and Amazon’s Kindle e-readers make it easier to do exactly that. Our current favorite is the Kindle Paperwhite (12th generation). It has a sharp 7-inch display, auto-adjusting warm light, three-month battery life, snappy performance, and it’s slim and light, making it comfortable to hold. It even has integration with Overdrive for your library books and support for several languages.
The reMarkable 2 is one of the best digital notebooks, offering a paperlike writing experience, intuitive software, and several weeks of battery life. This is a budget model, so it lacks front light and color, but it’s still a decent device. Bundles where you choose both a marker and folio are heavily discounted right now, and they’re not often on sale, so it’s a good time to snap one up.
Keychron boards are popular here at WIRED, and the Q6 HE is our current pick of the best mechanical keyboards. Sturdy, satisfying to type on, with a lovely retro aesthetic, what more do you need? Well, the Q6 HE also boasts hot-swappable Hall Effect switches, four macro keys, and is relatively easy to customize or repair.
The great thing about Nomad’s 65-watt charger is that it’s incredibly slim, with flip-out prongs, so it can slip easily into small pockets in your bag or purse. You get dual USB-C ports, and can pull 45 watts out of the left port and 20 out of the right. Or, if you’re just charging one device, the full 65 watts is enough for any phone, most tablets, and even some MacBooks or Windows laptops (though they may not charge at top speed).
You know what I don’t miss in the slightest? Mowing the lawn. A good robot mower, like this relatively affordable one from newcomer Anthbot, will do it for you, quietly. No wire required; it recharges itself, you just set a schedule and relax. OK, it sometimes leaves a verge, but the only model I’ve tried that doesn’t is more than twice the price.
Sharp 2K video, color night vision, a wide 160-degree field of view, and clear two-way audio make the Arlo Pro 5S easy to recommend for folks seeking a security camera. You also get AI recognition for people and pets, a siren to scare intruders, and the quick-loading Arlo app. But you need Arlo Secure ($8 per month for one camera or $13 per month for unlimited cameras) for subject recognition, smart alerts, and cloud storage. The Arlo Pro 5S is our pick of the best outdoor security cameras.
I love my Oura Ring 4. It accurately tracks my sleep, activity, and stress levels and offers insights that I find genuinely useful. It’s also very comfortable, the app is super slick, with new features being added all the time, and it’s far less obtrusive than any other kind of tracker you could wear. The catch is a subscription, but this is still the best of the best smart rings.
It’s the thoughtful design that elevates the Backbone One above the rest of the best mobile controllers. Slot your phone into the compact cradle, with a USB-C jack for speedy connectivity, and you get satisfyingly clicky and responsive controls plus a 3.5-mm headphone port. You can also customize it for different games, or even use Backbone’s software as a one-stop gaming hub, if you’re willing to pay a subscription.
Yes, there is a new version of the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarers, but the good news is that the old pair is now on sale. If you can stomach Meta AI’s privacy policies, there’s a strong argument that it has won the smart glasses race already (at least, so far). The best smart glasses must be easy to wear, and these look great and help offload things from your phone, so you don’t have to dip into that pocket quite as much.
The JBL Flip 7 is the Bluetooth speaker that has it all. It’s durable, it has stamina, it produces a punchy sound, and it comes in fun colors. As the best Bluetooth speaker you can buy, this deal is for real.
Toniebox is our favorite speaker for young kids, particularly ages three through seven. It’s essentially a squishy cube that plays stories and songs tied to different characters (aka Tonies). It’s activated when your child places the figurine on top of the speaker. There are so many Tonies to choose from. Peppa Pig, Moana, Winnie the Pooh, the list goes on. You can also buy Creative Tonies to record your own audio. Super easy to use, and the cutesy ears double as volume controls. —Boutayna Chokrane
The best tech books unpack the rise and fall of the characters that invented the stuff that runs our lives. The New York Times and former Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou writes about Elizabeth Holmes, as she miserably fails to build a blood testing machine that would allegedly eliminate the need for hypodermic needles. Her company raised hundreds of millions of dollars, but its technology was inaccurate. Rather than admit defeat, she pressed on, which is why Holmes was put on trial for fraud and sentenced to 11 years in prison. —Boutayna Chokrane
Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S25 has been heavily discounted all Cyber Weekend, probably because its successors are right around the corner (the Galaxy S26 series is expected to be announced in January). But we still love these excellent smartphones. The S25 is the smallest, the S25+ gets a few extra perks, plus a bigger screen and better battery life, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a dual telephoto camera system, integrated S Pen stylus, and a beefy battery. Be sure to check out the Best Samsung Phones guide for the full scoop. —Molly Higgins
You’re not like other girls; you have a folding phone. In all seriousness, folding phones are not as fragile as they used to be, with durability improving while remaining slim. We love the Galaxy Z Fold7 because it’s amazingly slim and versatile. You can use the front screen like normal, and when you need extra real estate, open the device up. You can view apps on a much larger scale or easily split-screen two apps. If you’re not feeling a folding phone, the updated Galaxy Z Flip7 has a more usable front screen. Read our Best Folding Phones guide to decide which is best for you at the discounted price this Cyber Weekend. —Molly Higgins
The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is super cheap and compact, with a small touchscreen for more versatility. Especially with the Cyber Monday discount, it’s one of the most affordable Chromebook Plus models you can find, plus WIRED reviewer Luke Larsen thinks it’s in a whole different league over standard Chromebooks at this price because of its improved screen with a 360-degree hinge and touchscreen, fast performance, more storage, and crisp webcam. —Molly Higgins
Even though they’re an older model, we like these AirPods because of their hearing aid feature, comfort, and outstanding streaming experience. If you’re an iPhone user, you should have some AirPods, and we still think these are a good choice for most people because of their active noise cancellation, sound quality, and easy pairing within the Apple ecosystem. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they’re nearly 25 percent off for Cyber Monday. —Molly Higgins
We on the WIRED Reviews team still think this is the best Apple Watch for most people. With its newest upgrade, it now has the latest S10 chip, a Liquid Glass display, Workout Buddy, and wrist-flick gestures. If you have an iPhone, this accessory is a no-brainer. It makes a great gift for yourself or others, and is seriously discounted at only $200 right now. —Molly Higgins
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Tech
Dreaming of a Thuma Bed Frame? Don’t Miss the Black Friday Sale
Thuma knows what it’s doing when it comes to bed frames, which is why we’re so excited to see Thuma’s Black Friday deals. Two different frames from Thuma are the top picks in our Best Bed Frames guide, and our reviewers have reported how not only high-quality and and sturdy the brand’s frames are, but also how easy it is to put the frame together thanks to Japanese-style joinery.
While our top pick isn’t on sale, our second-favorite is on Thuma’s site during this Black Friday weekend, and it’s a great price for the quality you’ll get. And it’s not the only thing Thuma has on sale, either, if you’re looking for more Thuma goodness around your bedroom and home.
If you’re looking for more great sleep deals, don’t miss our guide to the Best Black Friday Mattress and Bedding Deals, plus you can catch more sleep deals on our guide to the Absolute Best Black Friday Deals.
The Best Thuma Bed Frame Deal
Thuma’s Signature Bed is one of our all-time favorite bed frames. It’s on the new side, launching back in February as Thuma’s first upholstered bed. It still uses Japanese wood joinery, but the frame is covered in two different fabric options, depending on what you choose. There’s a soft Italian felted wool and a performance linen; our reviewer tested the wool version for a few months with great results.
Even with the fabric covering, it still only takes minutes to assemble this bed, and there’s not a squeak to be heard since it was built. WIRED reviewer Martin Cizmar says the plush headboard feels pillow-soft, so much so that he’s tempted to try to lie directly on it. The frame can come with or without a headboard, and both variants are on sale right now.
If it’s still out of your budget, check out our guide to the Best Thuma Dupes to see if any on-sale options are a fit for you. But there’s really no better time to get a Thuma frame of your own than during this sale, especially since we’re such big fans of this model.
More Thuma Deals
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Tech
The Best Red Light Therapy Mask You Can Buy Is Currently on Sale
Beauty tech titan CurrentBody’s Cyber Monday deals are now live and run until Christmas Eve. Most of the brand’s products remain at MSRP, but the discounted bundles are worth a look. While we haven’t tested CurrentBody’s Green Tea Serum and Hydrogel Mask, this bundle is a steal because it’s cheaper than buying the LED Face Mask Series 2 ($470) on its own. In our view, the LED Series 2 is the best red light therapy mask you can buy.
The Series 2 is made of medical-grade silicone and packs 236 bulbs, so it contours to your face for close, even coverage. The adjustable straps stay secure if you want to wander around, though the lights are bright enough that I’d recommend resting and relaxing during your 10-minute sessions. There’s just one mode but three wavelengths: (red) 633, (near-infrared) 830, and (deep near-infrared) 1072 nanometers.
Reviewer Nena Farrell saw noticeable improvements in acne and scarring while testing it. The one concern here has always been the price, but this bundle knocks $48 off the mask alone and throws in two skin-care products designed to boost results. Now’s the time to grab it.
Other CurrentBody Deals
We are currently testing some of these products below. Here are some more worthwhile Cyber Monday discounts on CurrentBody bundles:
Though the brand is best known for its red light masks, did you know CurrentBody also has devices for radio frequency (RF) skin tightening, infrared therapy, compression therapy, and Pulsed Electromagnetic Field therapy (PEMF)? We haven’t tested these products, but if you’re curious, here are the best Cyber Monday deals on non-LED CurrentBody favorites:
• CurrentBody Skin RF & Microneedling Starter Kit for $460 ($76 Off)
• CurrentBody Sauna Blanket & Recovery Boots for $1,350 ($150 Off)
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