Global

Global IT Disruption: Businesses and Services Slowly Recover After Major Outage

Businesses and services worldwide are gradually returning to normal following a massive IT outage that affected systems on Thursday and Friday.

The disruption was triggered by a faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, impacting Microsoft Windows users and causing significant issues for businesses, banks, hospitals, and airlines.

CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz has issued an apology for the disruption and confirmed that a fix has been released. However, he cautioned that it could take some time before all systems are fully restored. While some airline services have resumed, delays and cancellations are expected to continue over the weekend.

Many businesses are now dealing with backlogs and missed orders, which could take days to resolve. Health services in countries like Britain, Israel, and Germany also experienced significant issues, with some operations being cancelled.

The incident has raised concerns about the vulnerability of interconnected technologies and the potential impact of a single software glitch on a global scale. The problem began at 19:00 GMT on Thursday, affecting Windows users running CrowdStrike Falcon. Although the issue became fully apparent by Friday morning, the fallout has been widespread.

By Friday evening, the situation was improving in many regions, with numerous airports reporting that while check-in and payment systems still faced issues, most flights were operational. Hong Kong International Airport has resumed normal operations, according to Chinese state media. In the US, JP Morgan Chase, the largest bank, is working to restore ATM services. The website Downdetector, which tracks tech issues, showed a reduction in reported problems in the UK by the end of the day.

CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz addressed the issue on social media, stating that the defect was found “in a single content update for Windows hosts.”

He expressed deep regret for the disruption caused to customers, travellers, and the company itself. Kurtz mentioned that while many systems are rebooting and coming back online, full recovery for some systems might take additional time.

Microsoft has indicated that multiple reboots may be necessary, with some users reporting as many as 15 reboots to resolve the issue. Tech experts also noted that CrowdStrike’s fix must be applied to each affected device individually.

The incident has sparked questions about CrowdStrike’s role as a major player in the cybersecurity market and the implications of having such critical industry components controlled by a few companies. CrowdStrike’s shares dropped by approximately 12% on Friday, benefiting rivals SentinelOne and Palo Alto Networks.

The first signs of the problem were noticed in Australia, with the air travel industry being among the hardest hit. Airports experienced significant delays, long queues, and flight cancellations, leading to stranded passengers. Additional staff were brought in to manage the situation manually. By 18:00 GMT, aviation data from Cirium indicated that over 4,000 flights, or 3.9% of the total, had been cancelled on Friday, though some cancellations may have been due to other reasons.

The outage affected payment systems, banking services, and healthcare providers worldwide. The longer-term impact may include difficulties in paying staff wages, particularly for companies that process weekly payments. Some railway companies also warned of delays, and broadcasters such as Sky News and ABC Australia experienced outages.

Ozioma Samuel-Ugwuezi

Follow us on:

AriseNews

View Comments

  • Royal umbrella=15,500
    Mama Gold=18,500
    Royal stallion=15,500
    Rising sun=17,500
    Special rice=15,500
    Mama Africa=18,500
    Elephant Gold=15,500
    Caprice =15,500
    NOTE: TRANSPORTATION CHARGES IS (#2000)
    Toyota Sienna=700,000
    Toyota Picnic=#650,000
    Toyota Camry Muscle=950,000
    Toyota Spider=1.2million
    • Toyota Land Cruiser-N1.5 million
    • Toyota Prado N1m650,000
    • Toyota Corolla –N650,000
    • Toyota Camry –N450,000-N1M
    • Toyota Avensis – N950,000-N1M
    • Toyota Yaris – N800,000
    • Toyota Venza – N2.2 million
    • Toyota RAV4 SUV –N950,000
    • Toyota Hilus Pickup-N950,000
    • Toyota Dyna Truck – N1.3million
    • Toyota Hiace Bus – N1.5 million
    * Toyota Highlander-N1.2 million
    *Toyota Big daddy-N850,000
    Honda Civic cars – N850,000
    Honda Accord – N950,000
    Honda CR-V –N980,000
    Honda CR-V –950,000
    Honda Pilot – N900,000
    *Prices of some Volswagen cars:
    golf 1 = 250,000
    Golf 2,-N350,000
    golf 3 -400,000
    golf 5 -N500,000
    Jetta-N350,000
    Passat-N450,000.
    Lexus RX300-N950,000
    Lexus RX330-N1.2 mill
    Lexus RX350-N1.5 mill
    Lexus GX460-N3.2 mill
    Lexus GX470-N4.5 mill
    Toyota Sienna = 1.5 million
    WE DELIVER TO 36 STATES
    YOU CAN CALL THE MARKETING OFFICER FOR MORE INFORMATION ( Omar ) OR YOU ADD ME UP ON WHATSAPP
    O8O 6739 9O9O

Recent Posts

IGP Orders Investigation into Death of Ilorin Detainee Jimoh Abdulquadri in Police Custody

IGP Egbetokun has ordered an investigation into Jimoh Abdulquadri’s death in police custody, promising justice…

17 minutes ago

Trump Dismisses Claims That Elon Musk Holds Real Power Behind US President-Elect

Donald Trump has rejected suggestions that Elon Musk is the true influence behind the newly…

23 minutes ago

Tiger Woods’ 15-Year-Old Son Charlie Achieves His First Hole-in-One

Tiger Woods' son Charlie has achieved his first golf hole-in-one during the final round of…

26 minutes ago

New Zealand Rejects Cook Islands’ Bid For A Separate Passport

New Zealand has rejected the Cook Islands’ proposal for a separate passport, requiring full independence…

49 minutes ago

Honda, Nissan Eye Major Merger, Aim to Finalise Deal by 2025

Honda and Nissan plan a merger to create the world’s third-largest automaker, aiming to finalise…

50 minutes ago

Trump Chooses Ex-Bank President As Latin America Envoy Despite Alleged Affair Scandal

Trump has selected ex-bank president Mauricio Claver-Carone as Latin America envoy, despite past misconduct allegations…

52 minutes ago