The global Microsoft outage was caused by a software code update released by the online security solution company CrowdStrike that interacted incorrectly with the Windows system. CrowdStrike is a company that provides cloud-based endpoint protection platforms, with its main product being the Falcon platform, which uses artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to detect, prevent, and respond to network threats. The company's software is used by some cloud service companies including Microsoft and Amazon AWS, as well as by some global banks, healthcare, and energy companies. CrowdStrike has taken remedial measures and is working with affected customers to resolve the issue
Today, a global major system crash occurred in Microsoft, with CrowdStrike being the "culprit" behind the incident taking the spotlight.
CrowdStrike is introduced as a company that provides online security solutions, focusing on delivering cloud-based endpoint protection platforms. Established in 2011 and headquartered in California, USA, CrowdStrike's main product is the Falcon platform, which utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to detect, prevent, and respond to network threats.
Renowned for its capabilities in detecting and defending against advanced cyber attacks, its software is used by some of the largest cloud service providers including Microsoft and Amazon AWS, as well as major global banks, healthcare, and energy companies to detect and block hacker threats.
CrowdStrike's Falcon platform can integrate with Microsoft's security products such as Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 to enhance overall network security protection.
According to media reports, today's global computer system crash was caused by an issue with the update of CrowdStrike Falcon version.
Like other cybersecurity products, CrowdStrike's software requires deeper access to the computer's operating system to scan for threats. Today's incident may have originated from a misinteraction between the software code update released by CrowdStrike and the Windows system, leading to the crash.
CrowdStrike's co-founder and CEO George Kurtz acknowledged this issue and stated that remedial measures have been deployed:
"CrowdStrike is actively working with affected customers to address the defect found in a single content update on Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not affected. This is not a security incident or a cyber attack."
In early Friday trading on the US stock market, CrowdStrike's stock price plummeted by 14% at one point, narrowing down to a decrease of 8.74% at the time of writing.
