Global Outage Linked to CrowdStrike: What You Need to Know
On Friday, a major global outage caused widespread disruptions, including flight cancellations, outages at hospitals and banks, and interruptions for broadcasters and businesses worldwide. Microsoft attributed the issue to a problem related to CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity and cloud technology firm.
About CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike, based in Austin, Texas, was founded in 2011 and offers a range of cybersecurity and IT tools. The company supports nearly 300 Fortune 500 firms and provides services to major companies such as Target, Salesforce, and T-Mobile.
What Happened?
The outage affected various public and private sectors globally, including airlines, banks, railways, and hospitals. According to CrowdStrike’s CEO, George Kurtz, the issue originated from a technical defect in a software update for Windows 10 systems, not from a cyberattack. A fix has been implemented, but some Microsoft 365 apps and services may still experience issues.
Flight Disruptions
Due to technical problems, American Airlines, United, and Delta requested a global ground stop for all flights on Friday morning. This led to the cancellation of at least 540 flights in the U.S. and significant delays at major airports, including Philadelphia International Airport.
Stock Market Impact
The outage affected the stock prices of both Microsoft and CrowdStrike. Premarket trading saw Microsoft’s stock (MSFT) drop 2.9% to $427.70, while CrowdStrike shares (CRWD) fell nearly 19% to $279.50, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Other Effects
The outage impacted universities, hospitals, and various organizations that rely on Microsoft systems. Thousands of train services were canceled in the U.S. and Europe, and some broadcast stations went off air. Hospitals, including Penn and Main Line Health in Philadelphia, canceled elective procedures due to technical difficulties.
Blue Screens of Death
Millions of Windows 10 users encountered “blue screens of death” (BSOD), indicating a critical error with the system. This problem arose from a bug linked to a Windows update, leaving many users unable to reboot their devices.
Next Steps for Users
Microsoft is rolling out an update to address the bug. CrowdStrike advises affected users to monitor the company’s customer support portal for further assistance.
This incident highlights the significant impact of cybersecurity and software issues on global operations, emphasizing the importance of robust IT solutions and rapid response strategies.
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