#Socialites, get a load of this! An alleged failed tech update caused widespread chaos as flights were grounded flights, banks were knocked offline and media outlets were kicked off the air across the world early Friday morning.
This widespread technology outage also affected hospitals and and emergency services. Thousands of Microsoft users found themselves suddenly disconnected from the online world, and the culprit behind this technological meltdown was none other than cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, whose routine software update went awry.
Reports indicate that the botched update crashed computer systems, leaving scores of airport travelers stranded, hospital appointments delayed, and live news broadcasts cut short. Delta Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines were forced to ground all flights, causing immense inconvenience to travelers. In certain states, such as Alaska and Ohio, even the crucial 911 phone lines experienced disruptions. However, it’s worth noting that customers using Mac and Linux operating systems were not affected, as stated by CrowdStrike. The company clarified that the incident was not a cyberattack but rather a software glitch.
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DownDetector, a platform that monitors user-reported disruptions to internet services, observed that airlines, payment platforms, and online shopping websites worldwide were impacted. Interestingly enough, the disruption seemed to vary in intensity and appeared to be linked to whether the companies relied on Microsoft cloud-based services.
CrowdStrike has since assured that they have identified the issue and are actively working on a fix. The company recognizes the urgency of the situation and is committed to resolving it as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz has just addressed the major tech outage after his company deployed a faulty software update to computers overnight. He said in an appearance on NBC’s “Today,”
“We’re deeply sorry for the impact that we’ve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this.” He added, “It wasn’t a cyber attack, it was related to this content update.”
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