CrowdStrike Update Causes Global IT Outage: What You Need to Know

The world experienced one of the largest tech outages in history on Friday, reminiscent of Y2K concerns. This massive outage, linked to cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, disrupted operations worldwide, grounding flights, canceling medical appointments, and taking TV networks off the air.

1. A Single Update Was Responsible: The issue stemmed from a defect in a Windows update, according to CrowdStrike. CEO George Kurtz confirmed it was not a cyberattack but a defect in a single content update for Windows, which has since been identified, isolated, and fixed.

2. Widespread Flight Disruptions: The outage affected airports globally, causing significant delays and cancellations. Ryanair and other airlines advised passengers to expect disruptions.

3. Impact on Trains and Gas Stations: Rail networks in New York and the UK faced disruptions, and some Speedway gas stations in the US closed due to non-functional digital pumps.

4. Hospital and Surgery Cancellations: The UK's NHS and hospitals in Germany reported issues with patient record systems, leading to canceled elective operations and disrupted medical care.

5. Government and Federal Agency Involvement: The Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies are working with CrowdStrike and Microsoft to assess and address the outages.

6. Broadcasters Affected: Media outlets, including Sky News in the UK and ABC in Australia, were briefly taken off the air.

7. Continued Disruption Expected: As organizations work to recover, further disruptions are expected over the weekend. Manual reboots required for affected systems may prolong the recovery process.

Additional Details:

8. Microsoft Tech Outages Linked to CrowdStrike Update: Microsoft tech outages reported on Friday led to widespread disruptions worldwide due to a defective software update from cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike. The update caused the infamous "blue screen of death" for many Windows users, resulting in over 1,000 flight cancellations, healthcare service disruptions, and 911 outages.

9. Flight Cancellations: The outage caused massive impacts, including widespread flight cancellations. Airlines such as American Airlines, United, and Delta were significantly affected, with nearly 1,400 flights canceled globally. The FAA monitored the situation closely, assisting airlines with ground stops until the issue was resolved.

10. Healthcare and 911 Services Impacted: U.S. hospitals, including Mass General Brigham and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, curtailed services due to the outage. Hospitals in Germany and Israel, and NHS England, also reported disruptions. 911 systems in states like Arizona, New Hampshire, and Alaska were affected.

11. Cause of the Outage: CrowdStrike identified the issue as a defect in a single content update for Windows hosts, not a cyberattack. CEO George Kurtz assured customers that their team is working to ensure security and stability.

12. Fixes Deployed: CrowdStrike deployed a fix for the issue and recommended customers refer to their support portal for updates. Microsoft suggested restoring Windows 365 Cloud PCs to a state prior to the update.