A massive worldwide internet outage occurring early on Friday – impacting airlines, airports, banks, stock markets and any number of government services – appeared to be mostly over by the end of that day, according to multiple sources.
The outage was sparked when the Austin-based cybersecurity company CrowdStrike inadvertently issued a faulty update to its security software.
More than 8.5 million computers running Microsoft Windows crashed and could not be restarted.
The outage caused both flight delays and cancellations at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, as well as the Sky Harbor Airport. Delays were additionally reported at the El Paso International Airport, the Albuquerque International Sunport, and the Denver International Airport.
The Denver airport, according to the Denver Post, ended up seeing the delay of more than 1,200 flights.
With the essential role that computers and the internet play in the lives of everyone today it should be no surprise that the CrowdStrike impacted the systems of the Phoenix Police Department and St. Joseph Hospital and Medical Center in Arizona’s largest city.
The communications center of the Mesa Police Department and the system used by the City of Goodyear’s police and fire departments to write electronic reports also had problems.
As the problem appeared to be affecting a variety of public agencies in Arizona, Governor Katie Hobbs issued a statement by midday noting that her administration was “closely monitoring all services that have been impacted and is working to ensure that we continue delivering the critical services that Arizonans rely on.”
Processing delays were experienced at the U.S.-Mexico border bridge in El Paso, with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection stating that the agency was actively working to “mitigate impacts to our operations and are proactively working with our stakeholders to minimize the impact to international trade and travel.”
In New Mexico, both the Presbyterian Healthcare Services and the Bank of Albuquerque reported problems owing to the outage, with the Bank of Albuquerque saying it had delayed the opening of some of its metro locations.
The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles said many of its services were unavailable for the duration of the day, with a reporter for CPR News writing: “If you were thinking of trying to get a driver’s license, register a car, or get a new license plate today—well, maybe just don’t.”
In a news release that could be greeted with dismay or joy, depending upon one’s perspective, the Colorado Department of Revenue, Taxation Division announced that both in-office and call center services were unavailable due to the outrage, adding: “There is currently no timeline for when services will be restored.”
The outage, was made apparent to millions of computer users via a blue screen, since popularly called the “blue screen of death.” That blue screen announced: “Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart.”
CrowdStrike subsequently issued a software update fix designed to repair computers, while posting instructions for users to fix the problem manually.
Rather candidly, the New York Times reported to its readers that ultimately if a “computer has entered a doom loop, it will most likely take an expert to fix it.”
In a statement, George Kurtz, chief executive officer of CrowdStrike, said the company was determined to resolve all issues associated with the outrage. But he also warned: “We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this.”
Kurtz added: “I encourage everyone to remain vigilant and ensure that you are engaging with official CrowdStrike representatives.”
The outage has now been called the largest of its kind in history, with the site Ars Technica putting the worldwide financial damage in the billions of dollars.
By Garry Boulard