Tag Archives: Software

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.

Helpful Articles, Helpful Guides, Software

The benefits of using HR software

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A human resources (HR) software system is a computer-based program that can make it easier to manage staff. From tracking performance and work schedules to monitoring payroll and benefits, HR software can help your HR team manage your staff more efficiently and effectively. This can be particularly useful as your company grows. Below, we explore the benefits of using HR software.

Saves time

HR software can take over routine departmental tasks, saving your team time and allowing them to dedicate themselves to creating a better workplace for your staff. For a start, the software reduces paperwork by ensuring there’s a uniform response to dealing with employee information processes. Plus, by keeping employee information all within the system, you won’t need to sift through physical documents searching for information.

Have important information in one place

HR software keeps important information all within one place. With most companies carrying enormous amounts of data on every employee – much of it confidential – it can take a long time for the HR team to update this manually. With the help of software though, this data is updated quickly allowing your team to focus on more impactful work.

Security

Protecting employee data is crucial. You have a moral duty to protect your staff, and if you fail to then you could end up paying GDPR compensation and a fine should there be a leak. Fortunately, a solid HR software system can bolster your security. Personal information is encrypted to ensure that hackers and unauthorised personell can’t access data even if they manage to get onto the platform.

Track/monitor employees and help them to progress

HR software can also produce sophisticated employee performance data. By tracking this data you and your employees will get instant feedback on performance. This can allow staff to pinpoint precise areas for improvement and also plan ahead with goals to improve towards. With the help of performance data it should help your team consistently become more productive.

Monitor annual leave/sickness

The system can track the number of days an employee is absent without making mistakes – the worry of human error fades away with HR software. Clear management of sick days and leave can avoid time-consuming email trails and ensure that everyone understands the days off they have remaining each year. Again, this can help ease the workload on your HR team so that they can focus on improving the working environment.

The larger your company grows, the more important it is to invest in HR software. As you employ more staff, keeping track of their data becomes less manageable. By using HR software, though, you’ll be well equipped to run an efficient and effective HR team.

Software, Workflow, Working from Home

Is Your Productivity Tanking While You Work From Home?

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A lot of us have been working from home during the COVID-19 crisis, and a lot of us have been finding it comes with its own set of challenges. For some, those challenges are all a matter of mindset or environment. You might be finding it difficult to get used to the fact your coworkers aren’t nearby or have trouble dealing with family and work at the same time. However, a lot of people initially find that it can be a challenge to get as much done from home as they might get in a better catered professional environment. Here, we’re going to look at five technological solutions that can ensure you’re a more productive and efficient worker.

Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels
Photo by Vlada Karpovich from Pexels

Know what you’re doing 

First of all, if you’re not certain where to start with your workday, then it’s time to take a strategic look at all of your current deadlines, responsibilities, and projects. Take the time to list out everything you might have to do. Then you can use tools like the https://appfluence.com/productivity/prioritization-matrix/ to see which you should do first. This tool lets you take your to-do list and quickly measure it by which tasks are most crucial and which are most urgent. As such, you won’t be stuck wondering what you should be doing at the start of the day. Five minutes can help you quickly layout the tasks you will be taking care of for the day.

Know when you’re doing it

Once you’ve effectively prioritised your tasks and you know what you’re doing for the day, then it’s all about knowing when you should do it. Workflow management software can help you set aside blocks of time so that you know when you’re going to be working on one thing and when it’s time to move onto the next. It ensures you don’t get stuck on one task for ages but rather you give everything the time that it needs and deserves.

Automate and streamline what you can

If you have any tasks that you have to do on a regular basis or that threaten to become monotonous, it’s important to find a way to standardize them efficiently. If you’re simply chipping away at them bit by bit, it can reduce your engagement with your work in total, making it harder for you to focus even when you get onto another task. There are plenty of tools designed specifically to automate your work, such as https://www.templafy.com/document-automation-software/ that can help you quickly format and standardize documents before you send them off. Look at your most regularly performed processes and see what you can do to automate them.

Make sure you can get what you need from your team

Of course, you’re not going to be doing all of your work, yourself. Most people are going to need to rely on their team at some point and, to that end, quick and effective communication is possible. A decent team collaboration app such as is going to be the basis of many a remote team’s communications. It gives you a centralised space to check your messages, talk about projects, or request help when you need it. If it’s not centralised, then it becomes all too easy to lose track of. After all, people have different communication preferences, be it by using IMs, sending emails, calling directly or otherwise. By centralising it, you get everyone using the same tools and following the same standards, reducing the chances of missed messages and miscommunication.

Get rid of any type of distraction

When it comes to distractions, there are two main types: external and internal. For the external, such as outside noise, you need to make sure you secure the work environment and ask that your family (or whoever you live with) respects your need for privacy and alone time when working. For internal distraction, you need to know what you’re most prone to be distracted by and to block it off. When it comes to working on digital technology, it’s usually the internet. However, there are plenty of tools like https://selfcontrolapp.com/ that you can use to set permissions, blocking your access to websites and social media within work hours. You can even block them entirely on your work device if that would make you feel more comfortable.

The above tech tools should hopefully help you get much more engaged and better organized with the work you do from home. Sometimes, the solution isn’t technological, however, so you need to take a better look at your work environment, too.

eBike, Electric Bike, Gadget Man, Review

The Smart Ebike from Mercedes Benz – Update July 2020

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Thanks for visiting this page, which is one of the most popular on my blog. If you would like to help support the us, please consider visiting my Amazon Store. Thanks again for visiting, Matt

 

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Smart eBike Support in the UK – 1 July 2020

I get quite a large number of messages in the UK requesting assistance with the Smart eBike. Whilst I am also an eBike owner, I also fall into the category of everyone else with regard to problem-solving and troubleshooting issues with our bikes. I have actually reached out to Mercedes Benz and highlighted the issue of ongoing support from them on these bikes, which of course cost all of us a fairly hefty sum of money at the time of purchase. 

Personally, I have struggled to get support with my bike and had to bend several peoples eardrums to get a result after feeling left high-and-dry in the event of needing assistance. I personally was successful getting the repair work done on my Smart eBike whilst also having a Firmware update to boot. The technician at Smart was very helpful and in fact, was excited to be involved in the maintenance of a vehicle that was no longer manufactured. This involved the installation of software on his PC and connection directly to the bike. It might well be a good time for Smart to release this software into the public domain to allow for their customers to continue to maintain their bikes for years to come.

This does continue to feel unfair as I have (like many others) approached bike repair shops for assistance and have got absolutely nowhere! So indeed the only port of call continues to be Mercedes Benz themselves.

So, the official line is that in event of any issues with your Smart eBike, you should contact Mercedes-Benz Customer Care on the following email address cs.uk@cac.mercedes-benz.com.  I am reliably informed that you will be assisted with your query.

You can also view the Smart eBike Owners manual online using this link. Now read on!!

Matt Porter – 1 July 2020

Last Saturday I visited Lancaster Mercedes in Ipswich, an hour later I left with a beautifully designed and engineered German machine. But this wasn’t an AMG SLK, this was the ‘smart e-bike’.
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