A massive IT outage has wreaked havoc across multiple countries, disrupting a wide array of sectors including airports, airlines, rail companies, government services, banks, stock exchanges, supermarkets, telecoms, health systems, and media outlets. The chaos stemmed from an update to a cybersecurity product offered by CrowdStrike, which caused machines running the Microsoft Windows operating system to crash.

CrowdStrike had issued a mandatory update to its software that went catastrophically wrong. The problem was traced to CrowdStrike’s Falcon sensor product, with engineers identifying a “content deployment problem.” This issue led to the notorious “blue screen” locking users out of their operating systems. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz assured that the company was actively working with affected customers, clarifying that the incident was not a security breach or cyberattack.

The global outage had widespread repercussions, particularly in the transportation sector. Major airlines in the United States, such as Delta, United, and American Airlines, were grounded due to communication issues. Airports around the world, including those in Australia, the UK, Germany, India, Malaysia, and the Philippines, faced significant disruptions. Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport, one of Europe’s busiest hubs, and all airports in Spain reported impacts on flights. Despite these challenges, some businesses and services began to recover, with entities like Sky News in the UK resuming normal operations after temporary disruptions.

Other sectors, including banking and government services, were also significantly affected. Banks and financial institutions from Australia to India and South Africa reported service disruptions. The London Stock Exchange experienced technical glitches that delayed trade displays. Media companies, such as Australia’s ABC and Network Ten, faced broadcast issues, and government services in countries like the UK and UAE reported system impacts. Additionally, Amazon’s AWS cloud service encountered connectivity issues, and cybersecurity agencies worldwide confirmed the outage was due to a technical issue rather than a cyberattack.