Priya Patel
TLDR:
- A faulty update by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike caused a global tech outage.
- Cybersecurity expert Alex Risen explains the interconnected nature of systems and the impact of software updates.
When people worldwide faced internet cutoffs due to a faulty update, cybersecurity firm PhishingBox’s CMO, Alex Risen, attributed the incident to a failed update by CrowdStrike. The update aimed to enhance security against cyber attacks but ended up causing more harm than good. For those still affected, Risen suggested contacting CrowdStrike support. The incident highlights society’s heavy reliance on technology, emphasizing the importance of careful software updates to avoid widespread disruptions.
Cybersecurity expert explains reasons behind global outage
It started with a company called CrowdStrike that tried to apply an update to keep users safe from cyber attacks. By Carlee Hogsten Published : Jul. 19, 2024 at 4:20 PM EDT | Updated : 17 hours ago Email This Link Share on Facebook Share on X (formerly Twitter) Share on Pinterest Share on LinkedIn LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – When people around the world arrived at work on Friday, many were greeted by a dreaded blue screen on their computers and found themselves cut off from the internet. How did this happen? Alex Risen, CMO of the cybersecurity firm PhishingBox , said it started with a company called CrowdStrike that tried to apply an update to keep users safe from cyber attacks. However, this one backfired because it wasn’t fully ready, causing more problems than it solved. “Think of it like I have my iPhone, I use it every single day, and say there’s an additional security piece on there to make sure I don’t use a phishing site,” Risen said. “If a system has that type of interconnected capabilities, it’s also going to have the interconnected capability to negatively impact your systems.” Don’t worry; Microsoft and CrowdStrike have eliminated most of the problem, and you’re still protected from cyber threats. Risen said that this outage shows how much our society relies on technology. “When we are this dependent on technology, anytime that we have software updates, anytime that we have the opportunity for error, it could certainly occur,” Risen said. For the people who are still receiving that blue screen of death, there is a way to get rid of it. “For folks that are still looking for support, contact CrowdStrike support to make sure that your systems can be up and running as fast as possible,” Risen said. Copyright 2024 WKYT. All rights reserved.
