Company responsible for massive worldwide internet outage due to cybersecurity issues
The Paris 2024 Olympics digital services, as well as various other infrastructures worldwide, have been affected by a global technical incident, potentially caused by an update from CrowdStrike [1]. This update, rolled out on July 19, 2024, triggered system crashes and the infamous Blue Screen of Death on approximately 8.5 million Windows devices globally [2].
Widespread Impact
The outage has caused significant disruptions across industries, including healthcare, aviation, financial services, government systems, and media outlets. Microsoft Azure cloud systems were also affected, amplifying the global impact [1][2][3].
In the healthcare sector, over 750 U.S. hospitals experienced disruptions in internet-connected services, leading to interruptions in patient care, operational systems, and research activities [2][4][5]. Aviation was also severely impacted, with airlines such as Delta cancelling 7,000 flights over five days, affecting roughly 1.3 million passengers and costing an estimated $550 million [3].
Resolution and Response
CrowdStrike engineers identified the update content causing the failure within 90 minutes and reverted those changes, halting further propagation [1]. Affected Windows endpoints required manual rebooting to restore normal operations [1]. Microsoft, though not the source of the update, played a critical role in the outage's global spread due to its cloud platform architecture and the integration giving CrowdStrike kernel-level access on Windows systems [3].
After the incident, CrowdStrike apologized publicly, committed to improving platform resilience alongside industry partners, and rejected some critical analyses of the event's impact [5]. The outage has also spurred calls for enhanced digital infrastructure monitoring in healthcare to serve as early warning systems for future disruptions, potentially using AI tools [2][5].
Advice and Precautions
It is advisable not to use the affected Windows systems until the issue is resolved. For those experiencing the Blue Screen of Death, a method to work around the issue involves starting Windows in Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment, accessing the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike folder, deleting files that start with C-00000291 and end with .sys, and restarting the host normally [6].
The incident underscores the relative fragility of the digital systems we rely on daily. As a result, it is crucial to stay informed and follow best practices for maintaining the security and stability of digital infrastructures.
Further Information
The outage has been reported by various news outlets, including FranceTvInfo, Le Monde, and discussions on Reddit [6][7][8]. CANAL+ is among the affected services, experiencing disruptions that prevent the proper broadcast of their channels [9]. Bouygues Telecom's customer service is currently unavailable due to the outage, but customers can manage their accounts and services through the "My Account" section on http://bouyguestelecom.fr or the Bouygues Telecom application.
[1] "CrowdStrike Update Causes Massive Global Windows Outage" - TechCrunch [2] "The CrowdStrike Update That Caused a Global Windows Outage" - Wired [3] "CrowdStrike Update Causes Global Windows Outage" - The Verge [4] "Healthcare Sector Faces $2 Billion in Damages from Global Windows Outage" - Healthcare IT News [5] "CrowdStrike's Global Windows Outage: What Happened, and What's Next?" - ZDNet [6] "BSOD error in latest crowdstrike update" - Reddit [7] "Computer outages reported worldwide after a technical problem detected in a security software" - FranceTvInfo [8] "Airports, banks, media... A major computer outage paralyzes major companies worldwide" - Le Monde [9] "CANAL+ Disruptions Due to Global Technical Incident" - Variety
Cybersecurity measures should be reinforced to prevent similar occurrences in digital infrastructures, as the global technical incident affecting various industries, including the Paris 2024 Olympics digital services, might have been triggered by an update from CrowdStrike. The outage not only highlighted the necessity of improved technology resilience but also accentuated the importance of utilizing cybersecurity tools judiciously.
