Microsoft outages due to sofware update, not cyberattack: CrowdStrike
Digital boards are seen due to the global communications outage caused by CrowdStrike, and some digital billboards in Times Square in New York City, United States on July on 19, 2024. (AA Photo)
A major global IT outage has disrupted services for businesses, banks, and airlines worldwide. The issue, stemming from a technical problem identified by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, has led to widespread operational challenges.
Identification and initial response
CrowdStrike’s announcement: CrowdStrike, which provides cybersecurity services to Microsoft, announced that they had identified the problem causing the global disruptions. A temporary solution has been developed to address the issue while a more permanent fix is pursued.
Kurtz added: “We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of Crowdstrike customers.”
Microsoft’s response: Microsoft reported that the issue was linked to a configuration change in their Azure cloud systems, causing disruptions in storage and computing resources. The company is implementing mitigating measures, and service access is gradually being restored.
Ongoing mitigation efforts
Microsoft announced ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact on their services, including Microsoft 365 applications. Various applications and services such as Microsoft Defender, Teams, Purview, and OneDrive were affected.
Global impact
CrowdStrike’s identification and temporary solution to the global IT issue bring some relief, but the extent of the disruptions highlights the vulnerability of interconnected digital infrastructures. Businesses, airlines, and institutions worldwide continue to grapple with the fallout as Microsoft and CrowdStrike work on long-term resolutions.
Broadcasting down
Sky News: Went off air following the outage. The broadcaster is working hard to restore services.
RNS News Service: Hit by the outage, preventing news from being published on the London Stock Exchange website. Technical teams are working to restore the service.
Health services hit
- UK National Health Service (NHS): The medical computer system EMIS, which allows doctors to book appointments, view patient notes, order prescriptions, and make referrals, went down.
- GTD Healthcare: A major UK healthcare provider using the EMIS system stated, “There is a national issue with EMIS Web, affecting our ability to book appointments and consult with patients this morning. We apologize for the disruption.”
Train services disrupted
UK Train Services: Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express, and Great Northern reported problems due to “widespread IT issues.”
Airline disruptions
United States
- Delta Airlines: All flights were halted due to the system issue. The company advised affected customers to monitor the Fly Delta app and company announcements.
- United Airlines: Flights were grounded due to a “third-party software outage,” affecting computer systems worldwide, including United. Planes already in the air continued to their destinations.
Europe
- Amsterdam Schiphol Airport: Experienced significant disruptions, impacting flights to and from the airport.
- Edinburgh Airport: Flight tracking screens were down, and a fire alarm was triggered by the computer error.
- Berlin Brandenburg Airport: Reported passenger check-in delays due to technical issues.
- Spain’s AENA: All airports remained open but experienced delays due to computer issues.
- Air France: Reported disruptions in flights due to system outages.
Asia
- Singapore Changi Airport: Warned passengers of manual check-in procedures due to technical issues.
- Bangkok Don Mueang Airport: Reported chaos and delays, with passengers facing significant wait times.
- India: Airlines like IndiGo, Akasa Airlines, and SpiceJet resorted to manual check-in and boarding due to system failures.
