A massive Windows outage caused by a CrowdStrike software update has affected millions of devices worldwide. Microsoft and other companies responded quickly to the problem, working to fix it and informing users.
Global Windows crash
Scope and causes of the incident
On July 18, a large-scale failure occurred that affected 8.5 million computers with the Windows operating system. This represents less than 1% of the total number of users of this OS, as reported on the Microsoft blog. The company also revealed details about the cause and measures taken to resolve the issue.
The main cause of the failure was a software update by the company CrowdStrike, which specializes in cyber security. Microsoft said that while such updates can sometimes cause crashes, such large-scale problems are rare.
Interconnection in the technology ecosystem
This incident demonstrated the close interconnection in a large ecosystem that includes global cloud providers , software platforms, security vendors and customers.
“It is also a reminder of the importance of prioritizing safe deployment and rapid recovery after failures with the help of existing mechanisms for all participants of the technological ecosystem," the message emphasizes.
Measures to eliminate the problem
The following steps were taken to improve the situation:
- Microsoft and CrowdStrike worked together to develop a solution. Fix instructions were posted in the Windows Message Center ;
- Hundreds of Microsoft engineers and specialists are engaged to work with customers;
- Collaborated with other cloud providers and stakeholders, including Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services, to share exposure status information;
- Customers were informed about the status of the incident via Azure Status Dashboard.
CrowdStrike Position
George Kurtz, CEO, CrowdStrike, apologized for the crash on the company's official website. He explained that the cause of the outage was a defect in the Falcon content update for Windows computers, stressing that it was not a cyber attack and did not affect Mac and Linux computers.
Subsequently, CrowdStrike detailed the reasons for the failure. On July 19, a sensor configuration update for Windows systems was released, which is part of the Falcon platform protection mechanisms. This update caused an error that caused the system to crash and "blue screen". The problem was fixed the same day.
The crash may have affected users of Falcon sensor for Windows 7.11 and above who were online during the Friday update.
"The update that occurred at 04:09 UTC targeted newly discovered malicious named channels used by common C2 frameworks in cyberattacks," - stated in the message.
CrowdStrike has committed to updating the results of its root cause analysis as the investigation progresses.
It is worth noting that on July 19, a large-scale Windows outage occurred that affected the systems of emergency services, airports, banks and other institutions around the world. It also affected the work of some Ukrainian companies, including Novaya Poshta, Sense Bank and Vodafone.
Glossary
- Microsoft is an American technology corporation, developer of the Windows operating system
- CrowdStrike is a company specializing in cyber security and developing software to protect
- Windows is a popular operating system for personal computers
- Falcon - a cyber security platform developed by CrowdStrike
- Azure - a cloud platform from Microsoft for developing, testing and managing applications
Link
- https:// blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2024/07/20/helping-our-customers-through-the-crowdstrike-outage/
- https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows-message-center#3353
- https://azure.status.microsoft/en-gb/status
- https://www.crowdstrike.com/falcon-content-update-remediation-and-guidance-hub/
- https://www.crowdstrike.com/blog/falcon-update-for-windows-hosts-technical-details/
Questions Answered
What is the extent of Microsoft's failure and how many devices are affected?
What was the cause of the failure?
What measures did Microsoft take to solve the problem?
How did CrowdStrike respond to the incident?
Which Ukrainian companies were affected by the failure?
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Discussion of the topic – Microsoft's massive outage: how the company handled the problem on 8.5 million Windows devices
On July 18, a global Microsoft outage occurred that affected 8.5 million Windows computers. The company disclosed the details of the incident, explained the causes and described the process of fixing the problem.
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Oleksandr
Wow, 8.5 million devices affected by Microsoft crash! 😱 This is a huge amount. I wonder how they solved the problem so quickly?
Natalia
Yes, Alexander, this is a really impressive number. But I'm impressed with how quickly Microsoft and CrowdStrike responded. They have involved hundreds of engineers and experts! 👨💻👩💻 This shows how seriously they take user security.
Pierre
I agree with Natalia. But I'm more interested in how it affected business. Imagine the loss of companies due to this failure! 💼💸 Does anyone know if there are any financial impact estimates?
Maria
Pierre, you are right about the business impact. But I think it's also a reminder of the importance of backups and an emergency plan. 🔒💾 We should all be ready for such surprises.
Gunter
Bah! All these new technologies... Only create problems. In my time there was no such thing. Why these constant updates anyway? They just spoil everything.
Isabella
Gunter, I understand your concern, but technology is evolving to improve our lives. 😊 Yes, sometimes there are glitches, but look how quickly they are resolved! This is progress. As for updates, they often close security vulnerabilities.
Oleksandr
Isabella, you are right. By the way, I was impressed by how Microsoft cooperated with other giants - Google and Amazon. 🤝 This shows that when it comes to user security, even competitors can come together.
Natalia
Absolutely agree, Oleksandr! This collaboration is a great example of how tech companies can work together for the common good. 🌍 And I am also pleased with Microsoft's openness in explaining the situation. It builds trust. 👍