CrowdStrike Fixes Microsoft Outage Caused by Update Issue

CrowdStrike, a leading US cybersecurity company, has addressed the widespread Microsoft outage that disrupted operations globally. The company clarified that the issue was not a cyberattack but a defect in an update.

Problem Detected and Resolved

On Friday, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz announced via X (formerly Twitter) that the problem had been identified, isolated, and a fix had been deployed. The outage affected Microsoft's Windows operating system due to a flaw in a single content update for Windows hosts. Kurtz assured that Mac and Linux systems were not impacted. Windows, developed by Microsoft, is a key operating system for managing computer systems.

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… — George Kurtz (@George_Kurtz) July 19, 2024

Expert Insights

Omer Grossman, global chief information officer at CyberArk, explained that the glitch was due to a software update in one of CrowdStrike's products. This product, running with high privileges to protect endpoints, malfunctioned and caused the operating system to crash. Grossman noted that the endpoints, displaying the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), couldn't be updated remotely and required manual resolution, which could take days.

Falcon Software Update

CrowdStrike's "Falcon Sensor" software was responsible for the Windows crashes. Millions of users worldwide experienced the BSOD error, causing their devices to shut down or restart automatically. Microsoft stated that this automatic shutdown is a protective measure to prevent damage to the computer.

Impact on Various Sectors

The outage affected multiple sectors, including flight services, stock exchanges, and banks. In India, companies like Air India, IndiGo, and stock brokers 5 Paisa were among those impacted. Microsoft confirmed on X that it was aware of the issue affecting Windows 365 Cloud PCs, attributing it to the CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor software.

Also Read: Global Microsoft Outage Disrupts Flights, Banks, Media, and Companies Worldwide