IT glitch causes global havoc

New Delhi, July 19: A major IT outage, a bug in the software, has severely impacted industries worldwide, leading to the cancellation of nearly 1400 flights and disrupting banking, healthcare, and retail sectors.

The cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has identified a “defect” in one of its software updates that affected Windows operating systems.

While a fix has been deployed, the company acknowledges that it may take some time for all systems to fully recover.

In an interview with NBC News, Crowdstrike CEO George Kurtz said that the problem stemmed from a bug in their update affecting Microsoft operating systems.

“We know what the issue is ... and have resolved the issue," he said.

However, Kurtz cautioned that recovery might take some time for certain systems.

“It could be some time for some systems that just automatically won't recover, but it is our mission... to make sure every customer is fully recovered,” he said.

BBC reported that Kurtz apologized for the disruption caused by the software update.

“We're deeply sorry for the impact that we've caused to customers, to travellers, to anyone affected by this, including our companies,” he said.

Despite the availability of a software fix, cybersecurity experts warn that restoring systems will require significant effort. Crowdstrike’s faulty software caused systems to "blue screen" and crash, preventing them from restarting to receive the updated fix.

Media quoting Tesla and X boss Elon Musk has called today's IT outage the "biggest IT fail ever."

This outage has disrupted a wide range of industries and aspects of society, from healthcare and air travel to retail and public transportation.

The most recent comparable outage occurred in 2021 when Meta, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp, and Instagram, experienced a significant failure.

That incident affected billions of social media users and millions of businesses worldwide.

While Meta's outage had a substantial impact on digital communication and commerce, today's outage has caused even more widespread disruption, affecting essential services and critical infrastructure on a global scale.

BBC quoting researcher Kevin Beaumont explained that impacted systems need to be started in ‘Safe Mode’ to remove the faulty update, a process he described as "incredibly time-consuming" and likely to take organisations several days to complete at scale.

Beaumont characterised this incident as one of the world’s most significant IT disruptions caused by a cybersecurity vendor.

The aviation sector has been particularly hard hit, with BBC reporting that out of approximately 110,000 scheduled commercial flights worldwide, 1390 were cancelled by early noon.

The breakdown of cancellations includes US: 512 flights cancelled, Germany: 92 flights cancelled, India: over 100 flights cancelled, Italy: 45 flights cancelled, Canada: 21 flights cancelled.

The Times of India reported that over 200 flights by Indian carriers were cancelled, with IndiGo alone cancelling 192 flights. The IT outage also disrupted news broadcasts and grounded flights across multiple regions.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu stated that the Ministry and Airports Authority of India are employing manual methods to minimize disruption. "I have directed airport authorities and airlines to be compassionate and provide extra seating, water, and food for passengers affected by delays. We understand your concerns and are working tirelessly to ensure your safe and swift travel. Your patience and cooperation are greatly appreciated," he said.

Cause of the Outage

Many of those affected have linked it to Microsoft PC operating systems. However, a Microsoft spokesperson stated that "the majority of services were recovered earlier" in the day. Australia's Home Affairs Ministry suggested that the outage might be related to a technical issue at global cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. The country's cybersecurity watchdog stated there is no information to suggest it was an attack. They emphasized that the outage appears to be a technical issue with a third-party software platform used by affected companies. The disruption began several hours ago following an IT update from the US-based antivirus company CrowdStrike.

CrowdStrike, previously little known to the general public, made an update to its Falcon antivirus scanner, which adversely affected millions of Windows computers worldwide. The notorious "Blue Screen of Death" was reported globally, causing widespread panic.

Microsoft's Response

Microsoft reported that its outage began at about 18:00 ET (0000 BST) on Thursday and has taken "mitigation actions" to address service issues. The company is investigating problems with cloud services in the US and several of its apps and services.

Meanwhile, investigations continue and affected institutions and companies are working to restore normal operations. The global IT outage highlights the interconnected nature of modern technological systems and the widespread impact that technical failures can have across multiple sectors and regions.

Microsoft quickly distanced itself from the issue, stating it was a “third-party issue,” meaning it was not their fault. Apple and Linux users, unaffected by the update, celebrated their systems' stability.

Microsoft has suggested a fix on its website, recommending a familiar troubleshooting step: "Have you tried switching it off and on again?" This method has reportedly worked for some users of virtual machines, where the computer is not in the same location as the screen. Microsoft noted, “Several reboots (as many as 15 have been reported) may be required, but overall feedback is that reboots are an effective troubleshooting step at this stage.” Additionally, Microsoft and some CrowdStrike employees on social media have advised deleting a specific file to resolve the issue.

As efforts to restore normalcy continue, the outage underscores the critical need for robust IT management and contingency plans to mitigate the impact of such widespread technological failures.

Impacts in the United States and the United Kingdom

In the United States, the state of Alaska has reported that its emergency services have been affected, with numerous 911 and non-emergency call centres not working properly. Similarly, the London Stock Exchange has been impacted by the outage, causing significant disruptions in financial operations. In the United States, American, United, and Delta Airlines grounded all flights, as reported by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Australia Hit Hard

Australia has experienced particularly severe effects. Flights have been grounded at major airports, and supermarkets have faced checkout chaos. Broadcast networks have struggled on air as autocue, graphics, and computer systems failed. Australia was also severely affected; The Sydney Morning Herald noted that ABC News 24 struggled to broadcast news packages, and Woolworths supermarkets experienced checkout system crashes. Customers reported issues with card payments, and police systems went down. Melbourne Airport confirmed that the check-in process for several airlines was affected by the global technology issue. Virgin Australia announced a complete halt to flights at Sydney Airport.

At Sydney Airport, information disappeared from departure boards, and budget carrier Jetstar announced it was unable to check in passengers or board its flights due to issues with Microsoft systems. Virgin Australia also reported a "complete ground stop" of flights. Additionally, social media users have reported long queues at stores like Woolworths, where payment systems were down reported BBC.

Train Companies and Airports Affected in the UK and Europe

Train companies, particularly in the UK, have also been impacted. Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express, and Great Northern brands, warned passengers to expect disruptions due to "widespread IT issues." The company reported difficulties in accessing driver diagrams and real-time customer information platforms, leading to potential short-notice cancellations. The majority of GP surgeries in England are experiencing significant issues, according to the NHS. The IT outage has also hit trains, shops, pharmacies, and taxis across the UK, preventing card payments.

Berlin airport and all airports in Spain have reported technical issues causing delays in check-ins. The Spanish airport operator assured us that operations will continue with manual systems while efforts to resolve the issue are underway.

Sky News, a major television news channel in the UK, was unable to broadcast live on Friday morning. The network’s executive chairman David Rhodes apologized to viewers for the interruption, saying many news reports are still available online.

This incident is a stark reminder of our heavy reliance on remotely managed devices by large corporations and the powerlessness we face when these systems fail. The global IT outage serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to technological failures and underscores the need for robust contingency planning and rapid response mechanisms.