Priya Patel
TLDR:
- Microsoft plans to host a cybersecurity event on September 10 to discuss improvements in the industry following a buggy update from CrowdStrike.
- The event will explore the idea of relying more on user mode in Windows instead of the privileged kernel mode.
Microsoft announced a cybersecurity event scheduled for September 10th at its campus in Redmond, Washington, in response to the recent CrowdStrike software update that caused widespread computer crashes. The faulty update disrupted internet-connected systems, leading to flight cancellations, package delivery delays, and medical appointment postponements. Delta Air Lines estimated a $550 million cost due to the outage and is seeking damages from CrowdStrike and Microsoft.
The event will bring together industry peers to discuss ways to prevent such incidents in the future, including the exploration of using user mode in Windows over kernel mode. Attendees will also discuss the adoption of eBPF technology and memory-safe programming languages like Rust. Microsoft has donated $1 million to the Rust Foundation to support developers working on the language.
At the event, Microsoft will meet with security companies, including CrowdStrike, to address concerns and potential solutions. The company’s Defender for Endpoint product competes with CrowdStrike, but Microsoft has stated that all participants will be treated equally at the summit.
Overall, the event aims to foster collaboration and innovation within the cybersecurity industry to improve system reliability and prevent future disruptions like the one caused by the CrowdStrike software update.
