Topline
Scores of Microsoft Windows users are facing outages due to a problem with CrowdStrike’s cybersecurity software, shuttering companies worldwide—but CrowdStrike says it has issued a fix, and both Microsoft and CrowdStrike have suggested workarounds for users facing issues.
Key Facts
Some Windows users are encountering the “Blue Screen of Death” when trying to use their computers, as a result of the global bug caused by a software update to third-party cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike’s Falcon platform.
CrowdStrike has reversed the problem and deployed a fix, but “it could be some time for some systems that just automatically won’t recover” before the issue is resolved, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz told NBC’s “Today” show during an interview.
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How Can You Fix The Crowdstrike Issue?
Kurtz told NBC some users have been able to resolve the problem by rebooting their computers. But if problems persist, CrowdStrike has offered a manual workaround solution for the blue screen error. This fix involves booting the system into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment, and navigating to the C:WindowsSystem32driversCrowdStrike directory. Users must then delete the file title “C-00000291*.sys.” The process puts the system into a mode where CrowdStrike and other third-party drivers aren’t able to operate, according to the Verge.
Will Restarting Your Computer 15 Times Work?
Microsoft said some customers using its Azure cloud were able to fix their computers by rebooting the systems as many as 15 times. Amazon also suggested rebooting computers may also solve the issue for customers using its AWS cloud software.
Contra
Brian Honan, founder of Ireland’s Computer Emergency Response Team, told Forbes these fixes require “manual intervention to each individually impacted device, which could lead to a long recovery time from this problem.”
What Companies Are Impacted By The Crowdstrike Outage?
The outage has affected companies and government agencies across the world, causing thousands of flight delays and cancellations, forcing hospitals to cancel elective procedures, suspending servers at fast food restaurants and causing 911 services in multiple states to go down. All 911 services have been recovered.
Further Reading
CrowdStrike’s Massive Global Tech Outage: Airlines, Hospitals, Banks, 911, Governments Impacted (Forbes)
CrowdStrike Global Outage: CEO Debunks Cyberattack Claims (Forbes)
CrowdStrike Update Causes Global Microsoft Outage Affecting Banks, Airlines And More (Forbes)
CrowdStrike Stock Tanks 15%—Set For Worst Day Since 2022(Forbes)
