Latest CrowdStrike update: Microsoft down, airlines affected, banks shut – Story so far

In a shocking turn of events, CrowdStrike, a prominent cybersecurity platform, has found itself at the epicentre of a massive global outage. This disruption affected various sectors, causing significant problems for major corporations, airlines, and even banks. As of now, the extent of the impact is still unfolding, but the situation has already created substantial disruptions worldwide.

Many users across India, Japan, Canada, Australia and other countries have been affected by the issue. The users across these countries have taken to social media platforms like X and Reddit to report a BSOD error or Blue Screen of Death.

CrowdStrike is known for providing advanced protection against cyber threats, and its sudden downtime has raised concerns about the security of countless systems that rely on its services.

Blue Screen of Death

One of the critical issues reported in relation to this outage is the “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) affecting Windows machines running CrowdStrike’s software. The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), also known as a blue screen error, fatal error, or stop error, is a critical error screen displayed by Microsoft Windows and ReactOS operating systems. This screen appears when the system encounters a severe issue that prevents it from operating safely.

Several factors can trigger a BSOD, including hardware malfunctions, driver problems, or the unexpected termination of essential processes or threads.

CrowdStrike has acknowledged the problem and is working on a resolution, but it remains a significant concern for many users.

Also read: What is Blue Screen of Death? The issue affecting all Windows machines running CrowdStrike 

Airlines and Banks Hit Hard

The effects of CrowdStrike’s outage have extended beyond individual users and businesses to include critical infrastructure sectors. Major airlines, including Indigo and Akasa, have been forced to switch to manual check-ins at airports due to the disruption. This shift has caused delays and frustration among travellers, highlighting the severity of the outage’s impact on the travel industry.

Even the banks are affected by the CrowdStrike’s outage. Several banks have reported issues with online banking and transactions.

Microsoft Outage

Adding to the chaos, Microsoft has also been affected by the CrowdStrike outage, with reports of disrupted Microsoft 365 apps and services. This has further compounded the issues faced by users relying on Microsoft’s services.

Solution for affected users

There is a 4-step process that you need to follow to ensure that you can boot back into your Windows PC if you’re experiencing a BSOD error.

• Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment
• Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory
• Locate the file matching “C-00000291*.sys”, and delete it.
• Boot the host normally.

Also read: Facing BSOD error because of CrowdStrike update? Here is what you should do

In my opinion, the current scenario underscores the critical importance of cybersecurity in maintaining operational stability and highlights the far-reaching effects of such technical disruptions.

Do write to us, and let us know what was your experience during this outage! We would love to hear from you.