The major Bitcoin wallet and blockchain explorer website Blockchain.info (Blockchain Luxembourg S.A.) went “offline” for a unknown amount of time today when a Domain Name Service (DNS) issue made it impossible to visit the site. The problem has been fixed, but some users may still be having trouble visiting http://blockchain.info until the fix propagates. The problem was noted by Twitter users when it first started and a few Redditors also began to complain (and are still complaining as it may take time for the fix to spread, see below). https://twitter.com/blockchain/status/767829047069937664 Blockchain.info is one of the first Bitcoin wallets and blockchain explorers, it was launched in 2011, and now boasts over 8 million registered wallets. A DNS outage only affects the ability to access a site externally, not the site itself. Although users were unable to visit Blockchain.info (using the domain name) the site continued to run as normal without interruption. No bitcoin balances or wallets on the site were affected. So far, it appears that not only the website was affected: the API and mobile applications could also be blocked from accessing the system if “blockchain.info” is used by the developer. For example, when this reporter attempted to use the Blockchain.info Android app, it could not authenticate, instead replying with “Unknown error” each time the PIN was entered. While most users will find that access to Blockchain.info has been restored already, others may still be unable to visit the site (or use their applications). It can take up to 48 hours for a DNS record to fully propagate–however, some users may need to reboot their devices or clear their DNS cache to get it to work properly sooner. Show your support for our mission with our one-click subscription to our YouTube channel (below). The more subscribers we have, the more YouTube will suggest relevant enterprise and emerging technology content to you. Thanks! Support our mission: >>>>>> SUBSCRIBE NOW >>>>>> to our YouTube channel. … We’d also like to tell you about our mission and how you can help us fulfill it. SiliconANGLE Media Inc.’s business model is based on the intrinsic value of the content, not advertising. Unlike many online publications, we don’t have a paywall or run banner advertising, because we want to keep our journalism open, without influence or the need to chase traffic.The journalism, reporting and commentary on SiliconANGLE — along with live, unscripted video from our Silicon Valley studio and globe-trotting video teams at theCUBE — take a lot of hard work, time and money. Keeping the quality high requires the support of sponsors who are aligned with our vision of ad-free journalism content. If you like the reporting, video interviews and other ad-free content here, please take a moment to check out a sample of the video content supported by our sponsors, tweet your support, and keep coming back to SiliconANGLE.
Blockchain.info was offline on 22 August after a Domain Name Service (DNS) made it impossible to access. Now fixed, the website has ensured users that bitcoin balances and wallets held by the site were not affected. The domain name service provider said in an email statement that its systems had been “compromised” but did not provide further details.