This isn’t a gloat post. In fact, I was completely oblivious to this massive outage until I tried to check my bank balance and it wouldn’t log in.
Apparently Visa Paywave, banks, some TV networks, EFTPOS, etc. have gone down. Flights have had to be cancelled as some airlines systems have also gone down. Gas stations and public transport systems inoperable. As well as numerous Windows systems and Microsoft services affected. (At least according to one of my local MSMs.)
Seems insane to me that one company’s messed up update could cause so much global disruption and so many systems gone down :/ This is exactly why centralisation of services and large corporations gobbling up smaller companies and becoming behemoth services is so dangerous.
heres the entire article
Latest Crowdstrike Update Issue: Many Windows users are experiencing Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) errors due to a recent CrowdStrike update. The issue affects various sensor versions, and CrowdStrike has acknowledged the problem and is investigating the cause, as stated in a pinned message on the company’s forum.
Who Have Been Affected
Australian banks, airlines, and TV broadcasters first reported the issue, which quickly spread to Europe as businesses began their workday. UK broadcaster Sky News couldn’t air its morning news bulletins, while Ryanair experienced IT issues affecting flight departures. In the US, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all Delta, United, and American Airlines flights due to communication problems, and Berlin airport warned of travel delays from technical issues.
In India too, numerous IT organisations were reporting in issues with company-wide. Akasa Airlines and Spicejet experienced technical issues affecting online services. Akasa Airlines’ booking and check-in systems were down at Mumbai and Delhi airports due to service provider infrastructure issues, prompting manual check-in and boarding. Passengers were advised to arrive early, and the airline assured swift resolution. Spicejet also faced problems updating flight disruptions, actively working to fix the issue. Both airlines apologized for the inconvenience caused and promised updates as soon as the problems were resolved.
Crowdstrike’s Response
CrowdStrike acknowledged the problem, linked to their Falcon sensor, and reverted the faulty update. However, affected machines still require manual intervention. IT admins are resorting to booting into safe mode and deleting specific system files, a cumbersome process for cloud-based servers and remote laptops. Reports from IT professionals on Reddit highlight the severity, with entire companies offline and many devices stuck in boot loops. The outage underscores the vulnerability of interconnected systems and the critical need for robust cybersecurity solutions. IT teams worldwide face a long and challenging day to resolve the issues and restore normal operations.
What to Expect:
-A Technical Alert (TA) detailing the problem and potential workarounds is expected to be published shortly by CrowdStrike.
-The forum thread will remain pinned to provide users with easy access to updates and information.
What Users Should Do:
-Hold off on troubleshooting: Avoid attempting to fix the issue yourself until the official Technical Alert is released.
-Monitor the pinned thread: This thread will be updated with the latest information, including the TA and any temporary solutions.
-Be patient: Resolving software conflicts can take time. CrowdStrike is working on a solution, and updates will be posted as soon as they become available.
In an automated reply from Crowdstrike, the company had stated: CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor. Symptoms include hosts experiencing a blue screen error related to the Falcon Sensor. The course of current action will be - our Engineering teams are actively working to resolve this issue and there is no need to open a support ticket. Status updates will be posted as we have more information to share, including when the issue is resolved.
For Users Experiencing BSODs:
If you’re encountering BSOD errors after a recent CrowdStrike update, you’re not alone. This appears to be a widespread issue. The upcoming Technical Alert will likely provide specific details on affected CrowdStrike sensor versions and potential workarounds while a permanent fix is developed.
If you have urgent questions or concerns, consider contacting CrowdStrike support directly.
Something tells me that isn’t going to provide the comfort it was meant to.