A recent outage has affected the BankID app, leaving many users unable to log in, prompting frustration and confusion among those who rely on the service for secure digital identification and banking transactions. On Thursday morning, reports began circulating about problems logging in through BankID, with various media outlets, including Adresseavisen and VG, confirming widespread disruptions.
According to Olav Kjær, communications advisor at Stø, the operator of BankID (formerly known as BankID/BankAxept), the situation arose around 8:55 AM. "Vi vet ikke hva som har skjedd, vi jobber med å finne og rette feilen så raskt som mulig, og beklager for ulempene dette medfører," Kjær stated, expressing the company’s commitment to resolve the issue expeditiously. While the app faced difficulties, he reassured users, noting, "Det er appen som er problemet, men man kan bruke kodebrikke som normalt," referring to the code chip function still being available for users.
The outage was officially acknowledged on Stø's operational status page, which indicated the BankID app as unavailable. This led to some confusion, as the spectrum of services offered by BankID includes not only mobile app functionality but also traditional code chip methods. A frequent update from Kjær informed users on the nature of the problem, which he emphasized remains unidentified as they work to analyze the failure.
Reports of the outage quickly spread, compelling users to share their experiences on social media, expressing their frustration at not being able to access banking services and their identities through the app. This situation highlights the increasing reliance on digital identification methods for everyday transactions, making such outages particularly impactful.
By mid-morning, additional updates indicated some progress, as Stø stated on their status page, confirming the restoring of certain functionalities. Kjær communicated at roughly 10:50 AM announcing, “kodebrikkefunksjonen nå skal fungere,” meaning the code chip function was now operational, providing users some relief amid the inconvenience of the app’s status.
Despite these efforts, the company's internal and external communication emphasized transparency, indicating they would continue to update the public as they worked through resolving the issues at hand. Many customers remained concerned over the reliability of the app and the repercussions of such failings on their banking transactions. While Stø continues to address the challenges, they are faced with the impact such outages could have on their user base moving forward.
The incident serves as yet another reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent to digital transaction systems, especially those like BankID which handle sensitive personal and financial data. Security, stability, and reliability are fundamental expectations users have for these applications.
With digital platforms becoming deeply embedded within modern society, unforeseen outages raise awareness on importance of consistent monitoring of the systems and rapid responses to any arising issues, not just for users’ convenience, but for the integrity of their services and the trust users place in them.
An answer to the outage remains to be fully articulated as of now, but Stø’s responsiveness and clarity throughout the morning is indicative of their effort to minimize disruption and restore access for their users. Kjær's continued communication highlights the balance organizations must maintain between advanced technological implementation and ensuring the user experience remains seamless and secure.