Image source, Getty Images
- author, Joao da Silva
- role, Business reporter
-
Cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike has announced that a “significant number” of devices affected by Friday’s global IT outage are now back online.
The company said in a social media post that a faulty security update had caused Microsoft Windows computers to crash around the world, but added that it “remains focused on restoring all systems.”
Businesses, banks, hospitals and airlines have been hardest hit, with some still struggling to fully restore their systems.
“We understand the tremendous impact this has had on everyone, and we know and are extremely grateful to our customers, partners and their IT teams who are working around the clock,” CrowdStrike said.
“We apologize for any confusion this may have caused.”
The company also said it was deploying new fixes in hopes of speeding up the restoration of its computer systems.
However, CrowdStrike did not disclose how many devices are still affected.
More than 1,400 flights to and from the US were canceled on Sunday, according to flight tracking and data platform FlightAware.
Among U.S. airlines, Delta and United Airlines were the hardest hit.
Health services in the UK, Israel and Germany were also affected on Friday, with some services halted.
The massive outage highlighted the vulnerability of computer networks around the world and showed how a single glitch can cause global chaos.
“Too often these days, a single glitch can cause an entire system to go down, impacting industries like healthcare, airlines, banks and car dealerships,” Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan said in a social media post.
“These cases show how concentration creates a fragile system.”
Before this incident, the company was one of the most trusted brands in the cybersecurity industry.
According to CrowdStrike’s website, the company has 29,000 customers worldwide, including some of the largest companies in the United States.
China is less dependent on Microsoft than other countries.
