Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has announced that “a significant number” of devices affected by the global IT outage on Friday are now back online.
The company, which caused the widespread disruption with a faulty security update for Microsoft Windows computers, stated in a social media post that it is “continuing to focus on restoring all systems.”
The incident, described as one of the worst IT outages in history, impacted an estimated 8.5 million computers worldwide, according to Microsoft. Key sectors, including businesses, banks, hospitals, and airlines, were among the hardest hit.
Despite progress in restoring systems, some organizations are still struggling to return to normal operations.
“We understand the profound impact this has had on everyone. We know our customers, partners, and their IT teams are working tirelessly, and we’re profoundly grateful,” CrowdStrike said in its update.
The firm also issued an apology for the disruption caused and is deploying a new fix aimed at accelerating recovery efforts. However, CrowdStrike has not specified how many devices remain affected.
The outage led to significant disruptions, including the cancellation of over 1,400 flights into and out of the U.S. on Sunday, as reported by FlightAware. Major U.S. airlines Delta and United were particularly affected. Additionally, health services in Britain, Israel, and Germany experienced disruptions, with some services canceled.
The massive outage has highlighted the vulnerability of global computer networks and the potential for widespread chaos from a single glitch. “
All too often these days, a single glitch results in a system-wide outage, affecting industries from healthcare and airlines to banks and auto dealers,” remarked Lina Khan, Chair of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, in a social media post. “These incidents reveal how concentration can create fragile systems.”
Prior to this incident, CrowdStrike was considered a leading and trusted name in cybersecurity, serving around 29,000 customers globally, including major U.S. companies. Notably, China, which is less reliant on Microsoft and where CrowdStrike’s presence is limited, was largely unaffected by the outage.
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