Cascading technology errors caused major disruptions in computer systems worldwide on Friday, with experts pointing to a software update from CrowdStrike as the root cause. The error affected computers using Microsoft’s Windows operating system, impacting a wide range of industries such as airlines, emergency services, and digital payment systems.
The incident was not a result of a cyberattack, according to CrowdStrike, but rather a software issue that spread through various computer networks. Information technology experts expressed surprise at the scale of the outage, noting the interconnected nature of global technology systems.
Marie Vasek, an assistant professor at University College London, emphasized the reliance on software from a small number of companies, including Microsoft and CrowdStrike. The widespread disruptions highlighted the vulnerability of complex technology networks to a single error in software code.
CrowdStrike has been working with affected customers to address the issue, while some companies have reported progress in recovering from the computer network failures. However, challenges remain in restoring back-end systems located in distant data centers.
Experts called for better procedures from both CrowdStrike and Microsoft to prevent similar incidents in the future. They recommended improved software testing and oversight to ensure that updates do not lead to widespread disruptions.
Microsoft acknowledged the outages in some of its online services and corporate cloud computing platforms, but indicated that they were not related to the CrowdStrike software bug. The situation is evolving, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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