CrowdStrike founder and CEO George Kurtz has issued a public apology following a global cyber outage caused by his company’s software update. Speaking on the “Today” show, Kurtz clarified that the outage was not a result of a cyber attack but rather a content update that inadvertently grounded thousands of flights and disrupted numerous businesses worldwide. Described as the largest IT outage in history, the incident has left many scrambling for solutions.
The problematic update, involving CrowdStrike’s “Falcon Sensor” software, caused Microsoft Windows systems to crash, displaying a blue screen on many computers. Despite identifying the issue and releasing a fix, Kurtz admitted that full recovery of all systems might take some time. He assured that the company is committed to restoring services for all affected customers.
??BREAKING NEWS: This Microsoft outage is now being reported as the biggest IT outage in history.
— Dom Lucre | Breaker of Narratives (@dom_lucre) July 19, 2024
Here is a look at the Philadelphia airport filled with travelers that have had their flights delayed. There is still no proof that this was due to a hack. pic.twitter.com/AKeeFtaUep
Microsoft announced that the underlying cause had been addressed, although some cybersecurity impacts persist. As businesses and individuals await further updates, the incident underscores the potential risks associated with software updates and the importance of robust IT management practices.
The ongoing recovery efforts and potential implications for future software deployment strategies will be closely monitored as CrowdStrike and its clients work to restore normal operations.
