A series of IT outages on Friday morning caused widespread disruption across multiple sectors globally.
The disruption resulted in the cancellation of over 1,000 flights and the stalling of critical systems in hospitals, banks, stock exchanges, and other institutions.
The issue, which affected many Microsoft-based computers, led to significant operational challenges and delays.
CrowdStrike, a prominent American cybersecurity technology firm specializing in cloud workload protection, threat intelligence, and cyberattack response services, has clarified that the outages were not the result of a cyberattack.
According to a statement from CrowdStrike, the disruption was caused by a software issue.
“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,” said CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz speaking to CNBC in an on-air interview.
“We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers,” said Kurtz.
The firm identified the problem and has since deployed a fix to restore normal operations.
The outages had a pronounced impact on various industries such as air travel as airports around the world reported significant delays and over 1,000 flight cancellations.
This left passengers stranded, causing logistical headaches for airlines and airport staff.
Other industries that have been impacted by the outages include the healthcare industry, finance, and various other sectors that are reliant on Microsoft-based computers.
As of Friday afternoon, efforts to fully restore services were ongoing, with many institutions reporting gradual resumption of normal operations.
DeSoto Tribune Staff