Global Microsoft IT outage sees transport, banks and broadcasters hit

Friday, Jul 19, 2024

Early Friday, a global IT outage caused by an issue with cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted flights, banks, retailers, stock exchanges, 911 call centers, and media outlets. Experts say this could be one of the largest IT outages in modern history.

Bloomberg reported that CrowdStrike warned customers that its Falcon Sensor threat-monitoring product was the source of the chaos, causing Microsoft's Windows operating system to crash. There was no mention of what triggered the issue, and there were reports of disruptions in Microsoft's Azure cloud and 365 Office software.

"We're aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform," Microsoft said in a statement, adding, "We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming."