A global tech outage, triggered by a software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, has affected nearly 8.5 million Microsoft devices. While representing less than one percent of all Windows machines, the outage has had significant economic and societal impacts.
The incident, which occurred on July 20, caused widespread disruptions across various sectors. Air travel was particularly impacted, with thousands of flights cancelled and passengers stranded due to airport and airline IT outages. Delta Air Lines reported over 600 flight cancellations by 10am EDT. Other sectors affected include broadcasting, healthcare, and banking.
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Microsoft has confirmed that the outage was caused by a CrowdStrike software update and is working with the company to resolve the issue. Microsoft is also collaborating with Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud Platform to share information and accelerate the fix.
Despite the relatively small percentage of affected devices, the incident highlights the interconnected nature of modern technology and the potential consequences of software updates. The widespread impact underscores the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and the need for industry-wide collaboration to prevent and mitigate future outages.