A global IT outage on Friday impacted hospitals, banks, airports, airlines, and broadcasters worldwide due to a faulty update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which handles security for many Windows PCs. The outage also affected emergency 911 call centers in several US states. Microsoft Regional Director Troy Hunt called it “the largest IT outage in history.”
CrowdStrike stated that the issue had been identified and fixed, but many services and businesses, including hospitals and flights, continue to be affected. Even though the initial cause of the outage has been resolved, the impact is still being felt globally.
Hospitals in the US experienced problems with their IT systems, leading to the cancellation of non-urgent surgeries and medical visits. In the UK, medical services, such as the National Health Service system for booking appointments, were also affected.
State troopers reported that 911 lines were down in Alaska and other states, prompting people to seek alternative emergency numbers. Television channels, including Sky News in the UK, and the Paris Olympics organizing committee were also hit by the outage.
The aviation industry was severely impacted, with thousands of flights delayed or canceled worldwide. Airports from New Zealand to the UK reported issues with scanning technology and online check-in systems. Major airlines like Delta, American, United, and KLM issued statements about the disruptions and flight cancellations.
CrowdStrike, the cybersecurity company responsible for the faulty update, issued a statement apologizing for the outage and assured customers of their commitment to restoring systems. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz emphasized that the outage was not a cyberattack and recommended affected organizations to communicate with official channels for support.
The incident highlighted the vulnerability of shared internet infrastructure and the potential risks of system-wide outages in various industries. The impact of the outage on critical services and businesses underscores the importance of maintaining robust cybersecurity measures and preparedness for such events in the future.
