On July 19, 2024, a massive IT outage wreaked havoc across various sectors, affecting major airlines, businesses, medical facilities, and police forces worldwide. This unprecedented disruption was traced back to a routine software update by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike that went awry, impacting Microsoft’s cloud computing services. Although the incident was not a cyberattack, it led to significant delays and required many systems to be manually restarted and patched.
The repercussions of the outage were felt most acutely in the aviation industry. Major airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, were forced to issue ground stops. This resulted in numerous flight delays and cancellations, stranding passengers across the globe. According to aviation technology company FlightAware, over half of the 1,352 flight delays and cancellations in the U.S. before 8 a.m. (ET) on Friday were attributed to the glitch. Delta Air Lines even ordered a global ground stop, with Rep. Eric Swalwell, a member of the House subcommittee on cybersecurity, confirming the extensive nature of the disruption.
Passengers traveling to the United States from as far away as Japan experienced flight cancellations. European airports, including Berlin’s Brandenburg Airport and several managed by Aena in Spain, reported delays in passenger check-ins due to the technical fault. Budget airlines in South Korea and Sydney Airport in Australia also faced similar issues.
The outage extended beyond the aviation sector, affecting numerous other industries and critical services. In the United Kingdom, train operators faced cancellations due to IT outages, and the London Stock Exchange reported that a “3rd party global technical issue” had halted its regulatory news service from posting new items. British soccer team Manchester United had to delay a scheduled ticket release, attributing the problem to Microsoft-related issues.
Medical facilities were not spared from the disruption. Israel saw at least 15 major hospitals impacted, though most had either returned to normal operations or reverted to manual processes. The UK’s National Health Service (NHS) reported a global IT outage affecting general practitioner appointment and patient record systems, though emergency phone services remained operational. The NHS assured the public that measures were in place to handle the situation.
The global outage also affected police forces and emergency services. In Alaska, State Troopers reported that both 911 and non-emergency phone numbers were non-functional due to the technology-related issues. The state’s public safety operations faced significant challenges in maintaining communication during the outage.
Broadcasting services worldwide were hit hard as well. NBC News and its British partner Sky News experienced temporary disruptions, with Sky News unable to air live broadcasts. Australian broadcasters reported similar problems, highlighting the widespread nature of the outage.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz addressed the issue publicly, expressing deep regret for the impact caused by the faulty update. He assured that the company had identified and fixed the problem on their end, and many affected systems were being rebooted and restored to operational status. Kurtz explained that the defect was found in a single content update for Windows hosts, leading to the widespread disruption.
Microsoft announced later in the day that its 365 apps and services had largely recovered, though some individual customers might still face lingering issues. The company is working closely with affected clients to ensure full restoration of services. CrowdStrike has issued a new software update, which has automatically fixed some computers, while others require manual intervention.
The Paris Olympics organizing committee reported that while the outage had slowed its operations, ticket sales remained unaffected. This assurance came as a relief ahead of the opening ceremony scheduled for the following week. Despite the challenges, organizers are confident in their contingency plans to manage any further disruptions.
As the world grapples with the aftermath of this significant IT outage, the focus remains on restoring normalcy and understanding the root causes to prevent future occurrences. The incident underscores the critical importance of robust IT infrastructure and contingency planning in an increasingly digital world.
