Global Windows Outage Hit Banks, Airlines, and Media
A global outage linked to Windows computers disrupts banks, airlines, and media outlets due to changes in Crowdstrike’s Falcon Sensor product.
A global outage linked to Windows computers has disrupted services across banks, airlines, and media outlets, primarily due to changes made to Crowdstrike’s Falcon Sensor product.
In Türkiye, SunExpress reported being targeted by a cyberattack, while Turkish Airlines (THY) noted a software-related issue that prompted precautionary measures.
The outage resulted in blue screen errors on Windows workstations, impacting various sectors including telecommunications, broadcasting, and retail. Major entities affected include Sky News UK, Melbourne Airport, and Thameslink, with Crowdstrike confirming issues in India, the US, and New Zealand.
Affected companies and services include:
Sky News UK: Announced it was off-air and working to resolve the situation.
Melbourne Airport: Informed passengers of check-in disruptions and advised extra time for arrivals.
Emergency services: 911 services were suspended in several US states.
Healthcare: The appointment system in English hospitals crashed, affecting operations.
Transportation: A UK train company warned of potential disruptions due to widespread IT issues, with Govia Thameslink Railway reporting that their IT teams are investigating.
Crowdstrike indicated that the blue screen errors were widespread and under investigation. The company later identified the source of the problem as a content delivery issue linked to the Falcon Sensor, which has since been reverted.
Australia’s national cybersecurity coordinator, Michelle McGuinness, suggested the outage stemmed from a third-party software platform. Additionally, Microsoft reported access issues with its 365 cloud-based app services, while also experiencing a separate cloud outage affecting US airlines.
