Tag Archives: Global Impact

Gadget Man, Matt Porter, Microsoft, The Gadget Man

Global Windows Crash Crisis: The Crowdstrike Falcon Update Fiasco

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Earlier today, a significant issue has come to light affecting Windows users globally. CrowdStrike’s Falcon sensor update for Windows hosts has led to widespread system crashes, commonly known as the “blue screen of death” (BSOD). This disruption has impacted critical sectors across the globe, including transport, banking, and media.

What Happened?

The latest content update from CrowdStrike for its Falcon sensor, designed to enhance security measures, inadvertently introduced a defect. This defect has caused systems to crash, triggering BSOD errors. Users began experiencing these problems shortly after the update was deployed, leading to a flurry of reports and concerns from various industries dependent on uninterrupted system operations.

Affected Areas

The fallout from this update has been extensive. Industries such as transport have seen operational disruptions, banking systems have faced downtime affecting transactions, and media outlets have struggled with system reliability. This has not only caused inconvenience but has also raised concerns about the stability and reliability of critical cybersecurity tools.

Cloudstrike Statement
Cloudstrike Statement

CrowdStrike’s Response

In response to the crisis, CrowdStrike has issued a statement acknowledging the problem and detailing their steps to mitigate the issue. They have provided guidelines for affected users to stabilise their systems and are working on a resolution to prevent further incidents. CrowdStrike’s team is actively investigating the root cause and is committed to restoring normal operations as swiftly as possible.

What to Do If You’re Affected

Users experiencing issues are advised to follow CrowdStrike’s interim measures to disable the problematic update and revert to a stable version of the Falcon sensor. Detailed instructions are available on CrowdStrike’s official blog, ensuring that users can manage their systems and mitigate the immediate impact while a permanent fix is developed.

For ongoing updates and support, affected users are encouraged to stay in touch with CrowdStrike’s customer service and monitor their communication channels.

Conclusion

This incident underscores the critical importance of robust update testing and rapid response mechanisms in cybersecurity. While CrowdStrike’s proactive measures are a step in the right direction, the incident highlights the need for vigilance and preparedness in handling unforeseen software issues.

For more detailed information, you can visit the official statement from CrowdStrike here.

Crowdstrike, Gadget Man, Matt Porter, Microsoft, Podcast, Technology, The Gadget Man, Worldwide Outage

Global Windows Crash Crisis: Crowdstrike Falcon Sensor Update “Defect” Disrupts Key Sectors Worldwide

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Today, I’m addressing a significant issue affecting numerous Windows users worldwide. Reports have emerged of widespread crashes, commonly referred to as the “blue screen of death,” impacting various critical sectors, from transportation to banking and media.

I spoke with Sarah Julian at BBC Radio WM about the worldwide problems that continue to persist

Understanding the Issue:

The root cause of these crashes has been traced back to an overnight software update for CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor. For those unfamiliar, Falcon Sensor is a security tool designed to act as a sentinel for your computer, monitoring and protecting against malicious activities. A single corrupted system file from this update is causing Windows systems to crash upon booting.

Why This Matters:

Windows holds a substantial market share, with 72% of global computers running this operating system. The automatic update to Falcon Sensor has inadvertently introduced a fault, leading to these severe crashes. The update, once applied, seems to corrupt system functionality, causing the dreaded blue screen on countless machines.

Impact Across Sectors:

The ripple effect of this issue is profound. The update has disrupted services across various sectors:

  • Transportation: Both train and plane operations have been hampered.
  • Banking: Financial institutions are facing operational challenges, with payment systems affected.
  • Media: Broadcast systems have been affected, causing interruptions, including Sky News and CBBC.
  • Healthcare: NHS GP surgery systems are impacted, with reports of doctors having to handwrite prescriptions.
  • Emergency Services: Even essential services like emergency call centres have not been spared.
  • Airports: Airports, including Birmingham Airport, have reported issues with check-in services, and operations at the Port of Dover are also impacted.

Al Lakhani, CEO of IDEE, said:

“Many people might be thanking Microsoft for their accidental day off, but countless businesses are suffering due to Microsoft’s and their partners’ failure to maintain their services. This incident underscores the importance of businesses thoroughly researching and vetting their cybersecurity solutions before implementation. Microsoft clearly fell short in this regard, and we are witnessing a cascade of operational failures around the world as a result.”

“CrowdStrike’s platform approach, which relies on a single agent focused on detection, might seem good at first glance, but as we can see, it can create significant issues. For instance, agents require installation and maintenance of software on multiple different OSes, adding layers of complexity and potential points of failure. Moreover, agents can become a single point of failure, as a bad update can compromise the entire network, as seen with the SolarWinds attack.

“The lesson here is blindingly obvious: investing in cybersecurity is not just about acquiring the latest or most popular tools but ensuring those tools are reliable and resilient. This is why businesses must prioritise agentless solutions like MFA 2.0, which reduce the risk of widespread failures and ensure more resilient defences.”

Cloudstrike Falcon Sensor Blue Screen of Death BSOD Global Outage
Cloudstrike Falcon Sensor Blue Screen of Death BSOD Global Outage

Current Status and Actions:

Microsoft has acknowledged the problem and stated that a fix is in place. However, this does not immediately rectify the situation for all affected devices. Many computers remain non-functional, and a manual fix may be required. One proposed solution involves removing the corrupted update link to restore system operations.

Security Concerns:

This incident raises critical questions about our reliance on third-party providers and the level of access they have to our systems. The Falcon Sensor update had kernel-level access, the deepest level of system access, which allowed it to cause such widespread disruption.

Tech Alert Windows Crashes Related to Falcon Server
Tech Alert Windows Crashes Related to Falcon Server

Moving Forward:

As we navigate this challenging situation, it’s essential to stay informed and take proactive steps to secure our systems. Further updates will be provided as new information becomes available and solutions are implemented.

For now, if you’re experiencing issues, consult with your IT department or follow the suggested manual fix to remove the problematic update. Manual intervention is likely to be needed to address the corrupted system file causing the crashes. Stay vigilant and prioritise your system’s security.

Electric Car, Electric Vehicles, EV, Hybrid

3 Reasons Why Electric Cars Are The Future

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Conserving the environment has been a goal that is continually dropped down in importance. Why? Well, many people are focused on what is happening in the present, not the future. But with more and more natural disasters occurring, it has become time for people to pay closer attention. 

Global warming is starting to become a major problem for the entire world. How humans slow down this warming is still up for discussion, but one decided way is through the use of electric vehicles. Some may scoff at that idea, but in all reality, electric cars and vehicles are the future of the modern world, whether you want to believe it or not. Just check out below the three reasons why electric vehicles will be around sooner rather than later:

The Global Impact Of Gas Powered Cars

The fossil fuel emissions made by humans and their vehicles have a really nasty effect on the environment. For example, across the pond in the United States of America, The U.S. transportation sector is responsible for about a third of the country’s climate-damaging emissions. 

On the United Kingdom side of things, Transportation is the most polluting sector in the United Kingdom, producing the equivalent of 122 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2019. So, with all that being said, it’s obvious people need to find a more efficient and environmentally friendly way to travel. Electric vehicles may be the answer.

There Is A Better Built Support System

For a long time, electric cars were not thoroughly supported. For instance, electric cars have to be charged using charging stations. With that being the case, you would expect gas stations to put in some type of charging station for cars to pull up and recharge their battery; but that is why we never assume. 

Installing the required charging stations costs a lot of money, more money than those gas stations were willing to pay. Now, with global warming becoming an increasing problem, the infrastructure surrounding electric vehicles has gotten a lot stronger. 

And no, that does not mean that there is more availability to call IT support. It means that people are supporting the initiative of moving to electric cars more than ever, creating a world that will soon get used to having all electric vehicles on the road. 

More and More Options are Becoming Available

With a much-improved infrastructure of electric vehicles, competitiveness within the electric vehicle marketplace has grown. There used to be just the Prius, but now large-scale corporations like Tesla, Ford, Jaguar, and Nissan are all putting in strong efforts to take over the market. Now that may be due to the new requirements and goals of whatever country (the United States wants all vehicles on the road to be electric by 2030), but the point still stands. Electric vehicles are growing, and it is easy to see why they are the future of our society.