On Friday morning, a global wave of IT outages caused chaos as airports, airlines, banks, and other institutions were forced to come to a screeching halt. This was due to a malfunction in some Microsoft-based computers, rendering them useless.
According to CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity technology company that offers cloud workload protection, threat intelligence, and cyberattack response services, the recent disruption that caused chaos for many was not caused by a cyberattack. Instead, the root of the problem was a software issue, which has since been addressed through a fix.
According to Crowdstrike CEO, George Kurtz, the company is currently assisting customers who have been affected by a defect discovered in a single content update for Windows hosts. It is important to note that Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted, and this issue is not a result of a cyberattack or security breach. The problem has been identified, isolated, and a fix has already been deployed. Customers are advised to access the support portal for the latest updates, and to ensure that they are communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. The company is fully committed to ensuring the security and stability of its customers, and will continue to provide regular updates on its website.
In a recent alert issued by the FAA, American Airlines, United, and Delta have jointly requested for a global ground stop on all flights. As a result, 540 flights in the U.S. have been cancelled as of 6:25 a.m. ET.
In a recent incident, multiple carriers, including American Airlines, faced technical difficulties due to a problem with one of their vendors. However, as of 5 a.m. ET, the issue has been resolved, and the operation has been safely reinstated. The airline has released a statement apologizing to its customers for any inconvenience caused.
Air traffic controllers have been instructed by the FAA to inform pilots in flight that communication issues are currently being experienced by airlines.
According to ABC News, a frustrated airline passenger has reported that after being delayed for two hours on the tarmac, passengers were deplaned without any information regarding their flights. The passenger, who was traveling from SeaTac Airport in Washington, expressed sympathy for those who may have been in more urgent situations, such as having a sick loved one or needing to attend a funeral. “No one here knows anything,” the passenger shared, “the gate agents said we all know as much as they do.” Despite the inconvenience, the passenger shared gratitude that their situation was not as dire as others may have been experiencing.
During the outage, flights that were already in the air were permitted to continue their journey. However, American, United, or Delta flights were not taking off at that time.
According to ABC News, American Airlines has released a statement acknowledging a technical problem with CrowdStrike, which is affecting several carriers. The airline is currently collaborating with CrowdStrike to address the issue promptly and apologizes to customers for any inconvenience caused.
On Friday morning, United Airlines released a statement indicating that computer systems worldwide, including their own, were experiencing an outage caused by third-party software. As they work to restore these systems, the airline has decided to hold all aircraft at their departure airports. However, for flights that are already in the air, they will continue to their scheduled destinations.
IT outages on a global scale have been reported in several countries, including Germany’s Berlin Airport, the London Stock Exchange, Google Cloud, Microsoft, and the United Kingdom’s Gatwick Airport.
On Friday morning, Microsoft released a statement on social media, acknowledging an ongoing issue that is affecting users’ ability to access various Microsoft 365 apps and services. The company stated that they are currently investigating the matter.
According to a source cited by ABC News, the Department of Justice experienced a computer outage that impacted some of their systems. However, there is no evidence to suggest that this has disrupted any law enforcement operations in the field. The DOJ has informed its users that they are one of many businesses and government entities affected by the global outage. The Office of the Chief Information Officer at the DOJ has been working with Component CIOs and technical teams to troubleshoot the issue and identify potential workarounds.
The IT outage has also impacted several hospitals across the country.
On Friday, Mass General Brigham, located in Boston, Massachusetts, made the decision to cancel all elective surgeries. Additionally, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Avondale, Ohio, experienced some disruptions as well.
The situation is presently ongoing.
