Unplanned Outage: Google Workspace unable to send mail to external recipients
Last Updated:
2025-04-16 14:59:21
Event:
2025-04-08 13:11:00
Status:
Closed
Brief Description:
Resolved: Google had automatically put some sending blocks in place due to unusual patterns in email activity while Cornell community members were traveling during spring break. These blocks will resolve on their own within about 24 hours.
User Impact:
Users may see an error message that says the email to a non-Cornell account was blocked.
Workaround:
Some users report that turning off VPN resolved the issue. The block may also be resolving itself for some users after 24 hours.
Current Status:
The issue is resolved. However, CIT is working with Google Support to understand why their security processes changed and to prevent this from happening again. We explained that travel is normal for our Google Workspace users, and we are actively collaborating with Google to find a long-term solution.
Services Affected:
Email and Calendar
Subsites Affected:
Cornell Google Workspace for Faculty and Staff
Cornell Google Workspace for Students
Full Description:
Resolved: Google had automatically put some sending blocks in place due to unusual patterns in email activity while Cornell community members were traveling. This happened during spring break when they noticed emails being sent from various locations and an unusually high number of outgoing messages. These blocks will resolve on their own within about 24 hours.
CIT is working with Google Support to understand why their security processes changed and to prevent this from happening again. We explained that travel is normal for our Google Workspace users, and we are actively collaborating with Google to find a long-term solution.
Previously, CIT was investigating an issue where Google Workspace users could not send emails to external recipients.
CIT TDX ID:
1770417
Timeline of Changes
| Description | Current Status | Date | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
Resolved: Google had automatically put some sending blocks in place due to unusual patterns in email activity while Cornell community members were traveling. This happened during spring break when they noticed emails being sent from various locations and an unusually high number of outgoing messages. These blocks will resolve on their own within about 24 hours. CIT is working with Google Support to understand why their security processes changed and to prevent this from happening again. We explained that travel is normal for our Google Workspace users, and we are actively collaborating with Google to find a long-term solution. Previously, CIT was investigating an issue where Google Workspace users could not send emails to external recipients. |
The issue is resolved. However, CIT is working with Google Support to understand why their security processes changed and to prevent this from happening again. We explained that travel is normal for our Google Workspace users, and we are actively collaborating with Google to find a long-term solution. |
2025-04-16 | 14:59:21 |
CIT is investigating an issue where Google Workspace users cannot send emails to external recipients. |
Update: CIT has contacted the vendor. Google explained that users sending an unusual number of emails while traveling triggered Google's spam and security filters, which blocked emails to external accounts. CIT is continuing to investigate the issue and will work with Google to determine the best way to avoid the issue during future university breaks. |
2025-04-10 | 11:15:03 |
CIT is investigating an issue where Google Workspace users cannot send emails to external recipients. |
CIT is investigating. |
2025-04-08 | 13:38:47 |