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CrowdStrike update causes widespread disruptions

CrowdStrike update causes widespread disruptions

Security experts revealed that CrowdStrike’s routine cybersecurity software update that caused global computer system crashes on Friday apparently did not undergo sufficient quality control before it was released. The latest version of the Falcon sensor software was intended to improve system security against hacking by updating defenses against threats. However, faulty code in the update files led to one of the most widespread technical outages in recent history for companies using Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

Global banks, airlines, hospitals and government agencies were disrupted. Although CrowdStrike issued guidelines to fix the affected systems, experts stressed that the remediation process would be time-consuming due to the need for manual code correction. Steve Cobb, Chief Security Officer at Security Scorecard, suggested that the flawed file could bypass normal audit procedures.

The issue became apparent soon after the update rolled out, when users shared images on social media of computers displaying “blue screens of death.” Security researcher Patrick Wardle identified the problematic code, which contained configuration or signature data. Wardle noted that regular security product updates aim to protect against the latest threats, which may explain the lack of testing for this update.

The frequency of updates likely contributed to the scrutiny, making it unclear how the flawed code slipped through quality control checks. John Hammond, principal security researcher at Huntress Labs, advised a more cautious, limited rollout approach to avoid such widespread problems. Similar incidents have hit other security vendors before, including McAfee in 2010. But the current situation underscores CrowdStrike’s market dominance, with more than half of the Fortune 500 and major government agencies relying on its software.

(With input from agencies.)