Early Friday, a massive IT outage impacted airports, markets, police forces, and businesses across the globe. The issue affected Microsoft Cloud computing services and was caused by a routine software update by cybersecurity company Crowdstrike.
Crowdstrike is a popular provider of software and security for many companies using Microsoft systems. Since the mishap, the company issued a new software update that automatically repaired select computers, though many remain affected. Here’s a closer look at this developing story.
Crowdstrike IT outage: What you need to know
Crowdstrike said the issue resulted from a “defect found in a single content update for Windows.” The result is grounded flights, media outlets going off the air, banks going offline, and more. The technology mishap affected services and companies worldwide and highlighted the globe’s dependence on software from few providers.
Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, issued the following statement: “CrowdStrike released an update that began impacting IT systems globally. We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online.”
Mikko Hyppönen, Chief Research Officer at cybersecurity company WithSecure, said, “It’s the biggest case in history. We’ve never had a worldwide workstation outage like this.”
Three of the world’s biggest airlines — United, American, and Delta — issued ground stops due to communications problems. At airports across the globe, full terminals and long lines left travelers weary and not knowing what to expect.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said, “CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers.”
While this is good news, travelers should expect the delays and cancellations to have a ripple effect. According to FlightAware, there have been more than 32,000 flight delays so far today, as well as more than 3,600 cancellations. According to Delta, it has “resumed some flight departures,” while American confirmed it had “reestablished operation” and issued travel waivers for affected customers. Delta and United have made similar moves, so affected travelers should check their apps and contact the airlines to rebook their trips.
