A global IT outage is causing chaos for businesses worldwide. Windows workstations are experiencing “blue screen of death” errors, affecting airlines, banks, and other sectors. The issue is linked to a security software update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. Fortunately, Mac and Linux hosts remain unaffected, and CrowdStrike has already deployed a fix.

CrowdStrike’s CEO, George Kurtz, confirmed that a defective content update for Windows hosts had caused the outage, noting that Mac and Linux hosts were not impacted. He said the firm had identified, isolated and rolled out a fix.

“We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers,” Kurtz added.

Airlines and airports around the world, from the U.S., Germany, France, the Netherlands and U.K, to Singapore, Australia, India, Taiwan, China and Japan, are reporting problems with check-in and ticketing systems, resulting in flight delays and ample chaos at airports.

In the U.K., the London Stock Exchange reported disruptions in its services. Several doctors in the U.K said on X that the outage had hit the National Health Service’s clinical computer system that contains medical records and is used for scheduling appointments.

And in the U.S., some 911 and non-emergency call centers seem to be affected. A post by Alaska State Troopers said many such call centers were “not working correctly across the State of Alaska.”

1. Scope of Impact:
   • Banks: Financial institutions worldwide are affected, with services disrupted.
   • Airlines: Ryan Air, Delta, United, and Indian airlines like IndiGo, Akasa, and SpiceJet are facing check-in system failures, potentially delaying flights.
   • Stock Exchange: The London Stock Exchange is also impacted.
   • Media: UK news broadcaster Sky News struggled to broadcast live due to the outage.
   • Security Firm Implicated: Some experts point fingers at security firm CrowdStrike.
   • Windows Errors: Users are encountering “blue screen of death” errors on their computers.
2. CrowdStrike’s Role:
   • While the cause remains unclear, Australian energy company AGL attributes the issue to a CrowdStrike update.
   • The security firm is investigating widespread reports of blue screen errors on Windows devices.
3. Global Ramifications:
   • Airports in Hong Kong and New Zealand are experiencing problems.
   • UK airport boarding scanners are disrupted.
   • Microsoft 365 apps also faced service problems recently.