19 Jul Crowdstrike Outage
Crowdstrike Outage occurred on July, 19th
This outage is affecting people worldwide, with multiple companies experiencing issues. It is impacting businesses across various sectors, including airlines and even 911 services in some cases. There have been reports of banks in other countries facing similar problems, although there is no confirmation of any impact on banks in the United States. This issue appears to be occurring not only in the United States but also globally, affecting different industries.
It is important to note that this is not a cybersecurity attack but rather a computer glitch. Crowdstrike, a well-known cybersecurity firm, was working on an update when this incident occurred. The CEO has confirmed that this is not a security incident or cyber attack, further emphasizing that Crowdstrike plays a crucial role in protecting systems from hacking.
The issue seems to stem from a problem between Crowdstrike and Microsoft. When there is an issue with Crowdstrike, it affects all Microsoft computers that are connected to it. Mac and Linux computers are not affected. Many individuals have reported encountering a blue screen on their computers at banks, airlines, and other locations. This issue, known as the “blue screen of death,” essentially locks users out of their computers, causing inconvenience and potential disruptions in services.
While personal computers without the Crowdstrike plugin or cybersecurity layer may not be affected, enterprise companies and corporate customers relying on this protection are facing significant challenges. These challenges range from being unable to print boarding passes for flights to bank tellers being unable to assist customers with account openings.
Crowdstrike is actively working to resolve this issue, and they have identified the problem, isolated it, and deployed a fix. However, the duration of the fix’s deployment and its impact on existing issues are still uncertain. It is crucial to recognize the urgency of resolving this problem, especially in critical areas like hospitals and emergency services. Additionally, flight cancellations and delays are already a significant concern, with over 500 cancellations and 700 delays reported. The speed at which Crowdstrike can address this issue will determine whether the situation improves or worsens.
It is important to highlight that there have been reports of 911 issues in New Hampshire, although it is yet to be confirmed if they are related to this incident. If unable to access 911, individuals should explore alternate methods to seek emergency assistance, such as trying different phone carriers or using a different type of phone.
In terms of possible solutions, using an IT documentation platform can help resolve issues stemming from cache synchronization problems with login servers. Using an incognito browser or booting into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment can also aid in remediation. If using Safe Mode, it’s recommended to connect to a wired network for better results.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has implemented a ground stop due to a bug in Crowdstrike agents that results in blue-screening computers. To resolve this, users are advised to boot into safe mode, remove the corrupted file located in the %WINDIR%\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory, and then boot the host normally.
Please note that this information is subject to change as the situation unfolds.
