A global tech outage linked to a software update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has affected nearly 8.5 million Microsoft devices, causing widespread disruptions in critical services, according to a Microsoft blog post on Saturday.
The update, intended to enhance security, inadvertently triggered system problems that grounded flights, forced broadcasters off-air, and left customers without access to essential services such as healthcare and banking.
Microsoft estimated that the update impacted 8.5 million Windows devices, representing less than one percent of all Windows machines. Despite the small percentage, the outage had significant economic and societal impacts due to the critical nature of the services involved, the company emphasized.
The air travel industry was notably impacted, with thousands of flights canceled, leaving passengers stranded or facing long delays. Delta Air Lines, one of the hardest-hit airlines, reported over 600 flight cancellations as of 10 a.m. EDT on Saturday, with expectations of additional disruptions.
In response to the crisis, CrowdStrike collaborated with Microsoft to develop a solution aimed at accelerating a fix through Microsoft’s Azure infrastructure. Microsoft is also working with Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform, sharing information to mitigate the effects across the industry.
This incident highlights the interconnectedness of global digital infrastructure and the cascading effects that can result from software issues, prompting enterprises worldwide to reassess their cybersecurity and system resilience strategies.
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CrowdStrike outage affects nearly 8.5 million Microsoft devices
cgtn.com
