Microsoft Outage: Systems Crash Due to Flawed Update by CrowdStrike Globally

A massive global tech outage crippled Microsoft systems worldwide on Friday. The disruption stemmed from a flawed update by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike for its “Falcon Sensor” software, leading to widespread system crashes and the infamous “Blue Screen of Death” on countless devices. This rendered many computers unusable, bringing operations in several key industries to a halt.

Impact on Various Industries

Airports and Airlines

The aviation sector was among the hardest hit, with airports and airlines experiencing severe disruptions. The system crash led to flight delays, cancellations, and manual check-ins, causing chaos for travelers. In India, airlines such as SpiceJet, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Vistara, Air India, and Air India Express faced significant operational issues. Online booking services for SpiceJet and IndiGo were notably affected.

Major airports in India, including those in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai, saw passengers clashing with airline staff over delays and cancellations. At Hyderabad’s Rajiv Gandhi International Airport, around 23 flights were canceled, affecting IndiGo’s flights to destinations like Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Ahmedabad, and Bengaluru.

The outage’s effects were felt globally, impacting airports in Berlin, Lisbon, Amsterdam, Brussels, and Budapest. Major U.S. carriers such as American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines temporarily halted flights, which were later resumed. Australia’s Qantas experienced delays, and about 90 percent of flights at London’s Gatwick and Stansted airports were delayed or canceled. Irish carrier Ryanair also had to cancel a few flights due to the outage.

Financial Sector

The financial industry also suffered significant setbacks. Major institutions like JP Morgan Chase & Co., Macquarie Capital, Barclays, and Brazilian lender Bradesco faced disruptions. Australia’s largest bank, Commonwealth Bank, encountered issues with instant fund transfers. South African finance giants Capitec Bank and Absa reported restored services after initial disruptions.

In Germany, employees of insurer Allianz were unable to access their systems, and several banks experienced operational difficulties. The London Stock Exchange Group’s Workspace news and data platform was affected, and some Indian brokerages reported technical issues, impacting trading activities.

Media Outlets

The media industry saw significant interruptions. Britain’s Sky News faced hours of broadcasting halts, operating with minimal capacity. Australia’s state broadcaster ABC experienced a “major network outage,” and regular programming at Sky News Australia was disrupted.

Healthcare and Emergency Services

Healthcare services across England, the Netherlands, and Germany were disrupted. However, emergency services in England continued to operate normally. In Denmark, Copenhagen’s fire department had trouble accessing automated fire alarm systems and urged residents to call emergency numbers directly in case of fire. Victoria state police in Australia faced internal system issues, though emergency services remained unaffected.

In the U.S., non-profit hospital chain Mass General Brigham had to cancel non-urgent surgeries, procedures, and medical visits. Quest Diagnostics’ patient services and customer contact teams operated at limited capacity, and Labcorp’s physician and patient portals were impacted.

Other Sectors

India’s largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, temporarily halted its dispatch operations but resumed without significant impact. The Paris Olympics organizing committee experienced slowdowns, though ticket sales were not affected. English football club Manchester United postponed its scheduled ticket release due to the disruption. New Zealand’s parliamentary computer systems were affected, as reported by Rafael Gonzalez-Montero, head of the parliamentary service. Additionally, Starbucks’ mobile order-ahead and pay features were temporarily down.

Also read: Global Microsoft Outage Causes Widespread Disruptions Across Multiple Sectors