Global Technology Outage Causes Major Disruptions Worldwide

A global technology outage grounded flights, disrupted banks, and knocked media outlets off air on Friday. A faulty software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike impacted Microsoft Windows systems worldwide, highlighting dependence on a few key providers.

Faulty Update, Not a Cyberattack

CrowdStrike confirmed the issue was not a security incident but a defect in a software update. Despite efforts to deploy a fix, disruptions persisted and escalated.

Airlines and Hospitals Affected

Airports in the U.S., Europe, and Asia saw long lines as airlines lost access to check-in and booking services. Hospitals faced issues with appointment systems, leading to canceled surgeries.

Saskia Oettinghaus, a member of the German Olympic diving team, was among those stuck at Berlin Airport. “We are on our way to Paris for the Olympic Games and now we are at a standstill here for the time being,” she said.

Vulnerability Highlighted

Ciaran Martin, a professor at Oxford University, called it a “very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the world’s core internet infrastructure.” Cyber expert James Bore warned that the outage could cause real harm, especially in healthcare settings where critical systems were affected.

Efforts to Mitigate Impact

Microsoft worked to reroute impacted traffic to alternate systems. CrowdStrike stated they identified the issue and deployed a fix, emphasizing it was not a cyberattack. However, disruptions continued, and CrowdStrike’s shares fell nearly 15% in premarket trading.

Global Response

Governments and companies scrambled to respond. New Zealand’s acting prime minister, David Seymour, reassured the public that there was no cybersecurity threat. In Milan, the FTSE MIB index couldn’t be compiled for an hour, though trading continued.

Continued Airline Disruptions

Airlines worldwide faced major delays. In the U.S., airlines like United, American, and Delta resumed some flights after severe disruptions. In the U.K., airlines and railways experienced longer wait times. Berlin-Brandenburg Airport halted flights, Zurich airport suspended landings, and flights in Hungary, Italy, and Turkey were disrupted.

Australian Impact

Australia was particularly hard-hit. Banks, airlines, internet, and phone providers reported outages. National news outlets, including ABC and Sky News Australia, were unable to broadcast on TV and radio channels for hours, with some anchors broadcasting online from dark offices.

Healthcare and Shipping Disruptions

Britain’s National Health Service reported problems at doctors’ offices across England. Hospitals in northern Germany canceled all elective surgeries. The Baltic Hub in Gdansk, Poland, faced shipping disruptions.

The global outage serves as a stark reminder of the interconnectedness and vulnerability of modern technological infrastructure.