BTN News: A huge computer problem has recently hit some of the biggest banks, airlines, and media companies. This problem has caused major issues and disruptions. The issue is linked to the Windows operating system. It has stopped flights, interrupted radio and TV broadcasts, and affected supermarket and banking services. Many computer screens turned blue and showed a “fatal error” message. This left many businesses unable to work properly.
The cause of this global outage has been traced to an update from cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. This update to their antivirus software is the reason for the problem. Crowdstrike’s CEO, George Kurtz, has acknowledged the issue and said that a fix has been made.
Major Services Face Significant Disruptions Due to Computer Outage
The first major impact was seen in Australia. The satellite network Sky went off the air but has since resumed. However, Sydney Airport remains stuck with all flights stopped. The situation at the airport is chaotic. BBC reporters say passengers were confused as they could not check in for their flights.
In Japan, Narita Airport, about 60 kilometers from Tokyo, has the same problems. Airlines like JetStar, Jeju Air, Qantas, HK Express, and Spring Japan have all reported issues with their systems, leading to big delays.
The problem is not only in Australia and Japan. In Europe, airports are struggling too. In Spain, long lines have formed at Barajas and other airports. Many flights are delayed due to an “incident” affecting their systems. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport also faces delays. Dutch airline KLM says managing flights is now “impossible.” They have stopped many operations while trying to fix the problem.
In the United States, major airlines like United, Delta, and American Airlines have stopped all flights worldwide. This has made travel problems worse.
In India, New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport has gone back to manual systems. Its electronic terminals and flight information screens are down. Passengers must fill out blank boarding passes and luggage tags by hand.
Crowdstrike Acknowledged as the Cause of the Computer Problem
Crowdstrike, a company started in 2011, specializes in cybersecurity. It protects some of the largest companies from attacks and vulnerabilities. The company is blamed for the current problems due to a defect in an update for Windows servers.
American Airlines, the biggest airline in the world, blames Crowdstrike for the technical problems affecting many airlines. CEO George Kurtz said Crowdstrike is working with affected clients to fix the issue. He stressed that Mac and Linux servers are not affected. He also said the problem is not related to security or a cyberattack.
Kurtz confirmed that the problem has been found, isolated, and fixed. “Our team is fully deployed to ensure the safety and stability of Crowdstrike’s clients,” he added.
Background and Role of Crowdstrike in Cybersecurity
Crowdstrike focuses on endpoint security. It prevents malicious software from attacking corporate networks through connected devices like phones and laptops. The company also protects data that businesses have moved to cloud servers.
George Kurtz and Dmitri Alperovitch founded the company. It is based in Austin, Texas, and went public in 2019. Since it started, Crowdstrike has helped businesses investigate cyberattacks. In 2016, the Democratic National Committee in the U.S. hired Crowdstrike to investigate a breach of its computer network.
Despite its strong reputation, Crowdstrike’s stock has dropped a lot because of the recent issues. It has lost a fifth of its value. If this continues when markets reopen, the company could lose $16 billion in one day.
Various Other Services Across Different Countries Have Also Been Affected by This Outage
In the UK, the London Stock Exchange was one of the first to face problems but has fixed them. However, the city’s busy railway lines have warned passengers of delays due to “widespread computer issues.” The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) is also affected. There are problems in booking appointments, consultations, and accessing medical records. A doctor told the BBC they are only seeing seriously ill patients.
In Germany, two hospitals have canceled non-urgent operations. But emergency services are still working normally. Meanwhile, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games organizing committee says their IT systems are affected. But they have backup plans ready just a week before the Games open.
Conclusion
This global computer problem shows how weak our connected digital systems can be. As companies and services work to return to normal, this incident highlights the need for strong cybersecurity. Crowdstrike’s quick response and efforts to fix the problem will be watched closely as the full impact of this event continues to unfold.
