Global software issue from CrowdStrike affects 8.5 million Windows devices
The blue screen of death errors on computer screens are viewed due to the global communications outage caused by CrowdStrike, which provides cyber security services to US technology company Microsoft, on July 19, 2024 in Ankara, Türkiye.
(AA Photo)
Microsoft announced that a global software issue originating from a CrowdStrike update has impacted an estimated 8.5 million Windows devices. The cybersecurity company CrowdStrike released the software update on July 18, which has since affected information technology systems worldwide.
Microsoft responds to global software issue
While not a direct Microsoft incident, the company noted that the issue has significantly impacted its ecosystem. Microsoft has been in continuous communication with its customers, CrowdStrike, and external developers to gather information and expedite solutions since the incident began.
“Though software updates can occasionally cause issues, major incidents like this one involving CrowdStrike are rare,” the company stated. “We currently estimate that the CrowdStrike update has affected less than one percent of all Windows devices, which equates to about 8.5 million devices.”
Broader implications of the incident
Despite the relatively small percentage, the statement highlighted the broad economic and social impacts, reflecting CrowdStrike’s use by many critical service organizations. The incident underscores the interconnected nature of the global ecosystem comprising cloud providers, software platforms, security and other software vendors, and their customers.
The global software issue, caused by a disconnect between CrowdStrike’s update and the Microsoft operating system, has disrupted various sectors worldwide. This disconnection adversely affected many regions yesterday, illustrating the vast and intertwined nature of modern technological infrastructures.
