Businesses and services worldwide are gradually recovering from a significant IT outage that disrupted computer systems globally on Friday. Experts predict that a complete recovery from this major crash could require “some time.”
The outage, one of the largest in recent years, was triggered by a malfunctioning antivirus software update. The update, delivered by CrowdStrike – a company specializing in cloud-based cybersecurity – caused widespread issues for users of Microsoft Windows.
The problematic update led to a system crash known as the “Blue Screen of Death,” affecting individuals and organisations relying on CrowdStrike’s software. As a result, major sectors including airlines, banks, and media companies faced extensive disruptions.
In Bharat, several airports were forced to issue handwritten boarding passes, and multiple IndiGo flights in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad were cancelled or rescheduled. Although airlines are slowly resuming operations, delays are anticipated to continue.
Media outlets also struggled; Britain’s Sky News experienced interruptions to its morning broadcasts, and Australia’s ABC reported significant operational difficulties.
CrowdStrike has since deployed a fix for the issue. The company’s CEO, George Kurtz, assured that his team is “fully mobilised” to assist affected customers. However, he indicated that it could take “some time” before all systems are fully operational again.
The widespread impact of the software failure has led some experts to question the reliance on a single provider for such critical services. Analysts noted that the update apparently lacked sufficient quality checks before being released.
Microsoft confirmed that the underlying issue has been resolved and that all affected services have been restored.
CrowdStrike, which has a market cap of approximately $83 billion, is a leading cybersecurity provider with nearly 30,000 global subscribers, including over half of Fortune 500 companies and several key government agencies.
