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About the author
Rosslyn Elliott
Rosslyn Elliott has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and in-house journalist. She earned a B.A. in English from Yale University and has written professionally in many fields including technology and IT. She has won kudos for her work helping tech startups establish their brands. Having lived all over the USA, Rosslyn has first-hand knowledge of the strengths and quirks of top internet service providers. She now writes on all things internet, including Wi-Fi technology, fiber infrastructure, satellite internet, and the digital divide. As a TV fan, she also enjoys reviewing channel choices and cool gadgets for satellite TV and streaming services. Her personal experience as a researcher, career changer, and remote worker inspires her to guide others to their own online opportunities. After work, she likes to kick back with a good craft beer and speculate about A.I. with friends.
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A massive technology meltdown swept across the globe on Friday, July 19, 2024, disrupting air travel, banking services, and critical infrastructure.
The widespread outage, stemming from issues with cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike and Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, left businesses scrambling and travelers stranded.
Widespread Disruptions Across Industries
Air Travel Turmoil
The outage hit the aviation sector hard. Major airlines in the United States, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, issued ground stops as their computer systems crashed. Airports from Berlin to Hong Kong saw long lines forming as staff resorted to manual check-ins.
At New York’s airports alone, over 300 flights faced delays and more than 100 were cancelled. Passengers found themselves stuck in terminals, unsure of when they might depart.
Banking and Financial Services Affected
Banks across multiple countries reported service disruptions. Customers in Australia and New Zealand struggled to access their accounts, while some ATMs ceased functioning. The London Stock Exchange experienced issues with its regulatory news service, though trading continued uninterrupted.
Healthcare Systems Impacted
The outage didn’t spare the healthcare sector. In the United States, Mass General Brigham, a major health system in Boston, had to cancel all non-urgent care visits. The British National Health Service (NHS) reported widespread issues affecting appointment systems and patient records.
Emergency Services Disrupted
Perhaps most alarmingly, the outage affected emergency services in several U.S. states. Some 911 call centers experienced temporary outages, potentially putting lives at risk.
The Root Cause: A Perfect Storm of Tech Issues
Crowdstrike’s Faulty Update
The primary culprit behind the global chaos was a flawed software update from Crowdstrike, a prominent cybersecurity company. The update, intended for computers running Microsoft Windows, caused widespread system crashes when deployed.
George Kurtz, Crowdstrike’s CEO, addressed the issue on NBC’s “Today" show, stating:
“We’re deeply sorry for the impact that we’ve caused to customers, to travelers, to anyone affected by this. We know what the issue is and are working to remediate it."
Microsoft Azure Complications
Adding to the confusion, Microsoft’s Azure cloud service experienced a separate outage in the central United States just a day before the Crowdstrike incident. While Microsoft claimed the issues were unrelated, the back-to-back disruptions amplified the overall impact.
Global Outage: Aftermath and Recovery
Economic Impact and Future Concerns
As news of the outage spread, businesses and organizations worldwide scrambled to implement fixes. However, the recovery process proved challenging due to the widespread nature of the problem.
While the full economic impact of the outage remains to be calculated, experts predict significant losses across multiple industries. The incident has also raised questions about the vulnerability of global IT infrastructure and the potential consequences of such widespread failures.
“This is a very, very uncomfortable illustration of the fragility of the world’s core internet infrastructure,” said Ciaran Martin, the former chief executive of Britain’s National Cyber Security Center and a professor at the Blavatnik School of Government at Oxford University.
Calls for Greater Accountability for Tech Industry
The massive disruption has sparked debates about the responsibility of software companies in preventing and mitigating such incidents. Some experts argue that stronger regulations and penalties may be necessary to ensure better safeguards against similar outages in the future.
Improving Network Resilience and Redundancy
As businesses and organizations recover from this incident, many are likely to reassess their IT strategies. Implementing more robust backup systems and diversifying software providers may become priorities to prevent future large-scale disruptions.
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About the author
Rosslyn Elliott
Rosslyn Elliott has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and in-house journalist. She earned a B.A. in English from Yale University and has written professionally in many fields including technology and IT. She has won kudos for her work helping tech startups establish their brands. Having lived all over the USA, Rosslyn has first-hand knowledge of the strengths and quirks of top internet service providers. She now writes on all things internet, including Wi-Fi technology, fiber infrastructure, satellite internet, and the digital divide. As a TV fan, she also enjoys reviewing channel choices and cool gadgets for satellite TV and streaming services. Her personal experience as a researcher, career changer, and remote worker inspires her to guide others to their own online opportunities. After work, she likes to kick back with a good craft beer and speculate about A.I. with friends.
Which speed do I need?
Tell us what you use Internet for
How many users?
Online Gaming
Smart Home Devices
Streaming Video
Browsing & Email
Target speed: 50 Mbps
With multiple users in the house, you need a little wiggle room in your bandwidth. 50 Mbps will support all your web browsing and social media.
Your current Internet speed:
Find 50 Mbps Internet speed near you