Users across the globe, including in the US, UK, India, Australia, and Germany, have reported experiencing the infamous “Blue Screen of Death” on their PCs and laptops, forcing unexpected shutdowns and restarts. The cause has been traced back to a recent update by CrowdStrike, a prominent cybersecurity firm.
Founded in 2011 by George Kurtz and Dmitri Alperovitch, CrowdStrike is based in Texas and employs around 8,500 people. Known for its advanced security solutions, the company uses cloud-based AI and machine learning to detect and neutralize threats in real time. Its software is integrated with Windows systems, providing a critical layer of security for both individual users and businesses.
In a support note, CrowdStrike acknowledged the issue, stating, “Our engineering teams are actively working to resolve this issue and there is no need to open a support ticket.” The problem stems from CrowdStrike's “Falcon Sensor” software, which has been causing Microsoft Windows systems to crash and display the blue screen error.
The impact of this issue has been far-reaching. Major airports around the world, including those in Tokyo, Amsterdam, Berlin, and several Spanish cities, reported system problems and delays. International airlines like Ryanair, United, Delta, and American Airlines faced significant disruptions, grounding numerous flights.
In Britain, booking systems used by doctors went offline, and Sky News, a major broadcaster, apologized for being unable to transmit live. Banks and financial institutions from Australia to India and South Africa also warned clients about service disruptions. Additionally, LSEG Group reported an outage of its data and news platform, Workspace.
Despite the widespread issues, CrowdStrike has clarified that the problem is not a result of a security incident or cyberattack. Amazon's AWS cloud service provider also acknowledged connectivity issues with Windows EC2 instances and Workspaces, which further contributed to the disruptions.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz addressed the situation on social media, stating that the company is actively working with affected customers. He emphasized, “This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated, and a fix has been deployed.”
CrowdStrike is no stranger to the spotlight. The firm was previously mentioned during a controversial phone call in July 2019 between then-President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump referenced a debunked conspiracy theory involving CrowdStrike, which had been hired by the Democratic National Committee (DNC) to investigate the 2016 email hack attributed to Russian agents.
The cybersecurity firm has a history of high-profile investigations, including the Sony Pictures hack in 2014 and assisting the National Republican Congressional Committee in 2018. Despite the current challenges, CrowdStrike continues to play a crucial role in the cybersecurity landscape, working to resolve the recent disruptions and maintain trust in its services.
