The CrowdStrike outage, which paralyzed industries worldwide, affected 8.5 million Windows devices, Microsoft has confirmed. The faulty software update by the cybersecurity company caused significant disruptions, including grounded flights, disrupted GP surgeries, and news channels going off air on Friday.
While the issue with the Falcon Content update has now been fixed, the impact continues to be felt in the UK, with thousands of passengers still stranded. Many have been told they might not be able to return home until Wednesday.
In a statement this afternoon, Microsoft estimated the error affected at least 8.5 million machines, or one per cent of Windows computers worldwide. The tech giant acknowledged the “broad economic and societal” impact of the outage, exacerbated by the number of enterprises running critical services and infrastructure that rely on CrowdStrike.
Microsoft insisted that while software updates can cause disturbances, major crashes on this scale are “infrequent.”
Travel Disruptions and Economic Impact
The outage has been dubbed “the worst IT outage the world has ever seen.” It affected flights, railway services, and other essential operations globally. On Friday, UK Government officials convened an emergency COBRA meeting amid the crisis, with major disruptions reported at several travel hubs, including Heathrow, Gatwick, and Edinburgh airports.
Passengers spent the night on airport floors as flights were grounded, and airports reverted to manual check-in procedures and paper tickets. This situation caused massive queues and frustrations among holidaymakers and travelers.
Broad Repercussions
In addition to travel disruptions, the outage affected various sectors:
- Retail: Major UK supermarkets, including Waitrose, reverted to “cash-only” operations in some stores due to downed self-checkout systems. Other stores, like Gail’s, Morrison’s, and B&Q, were also unable to process contactless payments.
- Healthcare: NHS services relying on online-stored patient data, including GP surgeries and prescriptions, were disrupted.
- Broadcasting: Sky News and CBBC went off air, leaving viewers with messages apologizing for the interruption.
- Sports: Manchester United warned fans about delays in getting matchday tickets, and the Mercedes F1 team faced issues ahead of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Expert Opinions and Reactions
Technology experts compared the scale of the disruption to the anticipated Y2K or “Millennium Bug,” which was expected to cause chaos at the turn of the millennium in 2000 but did not materialize. “This is basically what we were all worried about with Y2K, except it’s actually happened this time,” security consultant Troy Hunt wrote on X.
CrowdStrike’s Response
Cybersecurity company CrowdStrike admitted responsibility for the error that hit Microsoft 365 apps and operating systems, stating that a “fix has been deployed.” The company explained that the issue was caused by a “defect found in a single content update” and assured that it was “not a security incident or cyberattack.
In a statement, CrowdStrike said: “We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on.”
Continued Vigilance
Microsoft emphasized its commitment to providing customers with technical guidance and support to bring disrupted systems back online safely. We’re working around the clock and providing ongoing updates and support,” Microsoft said.
