Event: A global IT outage has disrupted major banks, media outlets, and airlines, grounding many flights and causing delays at airports.
Cause: The exact cause is unclear, but Microsoft is taking "mitigation action" to address the issue. Australia's home affairs ministry and American Airlines link the problem to a cyber-security issue at Crowdstrike.
Details of the Incident
Australia's Statement: The Home Affairs Minister indicated the outage is due to an issue at Crowdstrike, describing it as a "large-scale technical outage" with no signs of an attack.
American Airlines: Attributed the IT problems to a technical issue with Crowdstrike affecting multiple carriers.
United Airlines: Confirmed that a third-party software outage impacted their computer systems worldwide.
Crowdstrike's Role
Possible Cause: Reports suggest Crowdstrike's antivirus software update caused Windows devices to crash.
Market Impact: Crowdstrike shares fell by 14%, and Microsoft and travel and leisure stocks also declined.
About Crowdstrike
Company Profile: Founded 13 years ago, Crowdstrike is a US-based cyber-security firm listed on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. It employs nearly 8,500 people and is known for dealing with high-profile cyber-attacks.
Current Situation: Normally part of the solution, Crowdstrike may now be involved in the origin of the problem due to a flawed software update.
Affected Entities
Australia: Payment systems at stores like Woolworths and financial institutions such as the National Australia Bank were affected.
United States: Alaska's emergency services, and airlines like United, Delta, and American Airlines experienced disruptions.
Global Impact: Airports in Tokyo-Narita, Delhi, London (Stansted and Gatwick), and Amsterdam (Schiphol) reported delays. European carriers, including Ryanair, faced potential disruptions.
Other Sectors: Broadcasters like Sky News in the UK went off air, while the London Stock Exchange had issues with its news service. Hospitals in Israel switched to manual processes, and Poland's Baltic Hub in Gdansk reported operational problems.
Broader Effects
UK Impact: Railway companies faced delays due to IT issues, and doctors' surgeries struggled with appointment bookings. Gail's bakery chain reported issues with in-store payments.
Widespread Disruption: The IT outage has caused significant disruptions across multiple sectors globally, with ongoing efforts to resolve the issues and mitigate further impact.
Cause: The exact cause is unclear, but Microsoft is taking "mitigation action" to address the issue. Australia's home affairs ministry and American Airlines link the problem to a cyber-security issue at Crowdstrike.
Details of the Incident
Australia's Statement: The Home Affairs Minister indicated the outage is due to an issue at Crowdstrike, describing it as a "large-scale technical outage" with no signs of an attack.
American Airlines: Attributed the IT problems to a technical issue with Crowdstrike affecting multiple carriers.
United Airlines: Confirmed that a third-party software outage impacted their computer systems worldwide.
Crowdstrike's Role
Possible Cause: Reports suggest Crowdstrike's antivirus software update caused Windows devices to crash.
Market Impact: Crowdstrike shares fell by 14%, and Microsoft and travel and leisure stocks also declined.
About Crowdstrike
Company Profile: Founded 13 years ago, Crowdstrike is a US-based cyber-security firm listed on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. It employs nearly 8,500 people and is known for dealing with high-profile cyber-attacks.
Current Situation: Normally part of the solution, Crowdstrike may now be involved in the origin of the problem due to a flawed software update.
Affected Entities
Australia: Payment systems at stores like Woolworths and financial institutions such as the National Australia Bank were affected.
United States: Alaska's emergency services, and airlines like United, Delta, and American Airlines experienced disruptions.
Global Impact: Airports in Tokyo-Narita, Delhi, London (Stansted and Gatwick), and Amsterdam (Schiphol) reported delays. European carriers, including Ryanair, faced potential disruptions.
Other Sectors: Broadcasters like Sky News in the UK went off air, while the London Stock Exchange had issues with its news service. Hospitals in Israel switched to manual processes, and Poland's Baltic Hub in Gdansk reported operational problems.
Broader Effects
UK Impact: Railway companies faced delays due to IT issues, and doctors' surgeries struggled with appointment bookings. Gail's bakery chain reported issues with in-store payments.
Widespread Disruption: The IT outage has caused significant disruptions across multiple sectors globally, with ongoing efforts to resolve the issues and mitigate further impact.