Humans aren't the only ones having meltdowns:The Microsoft Meltdown

Anushka Pandey

July 19, 2024

A flawed software update sent out by a cybersecurity company caused major computer outages around the world on Friday. The chaos stemmed from an update sent by CrowdStrike to businesses that use its software to protect against hackers and online intruders. But when CrowdStrike’s new code reached computers that run Microsoft Windows software, the machines began to crash and the Blue Screen of Death Appeared. The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) is a critical error screen that shows up on Windows operating systems. It happens when the system crashes due to a severe issue that prevents it from working safely. When this error occurs, the computer restarts unexpectedly, and unsaved data is likely to be lost.Airlines and businesses struggle to recover following this global Microsoft outage. The financial sector however remains intact as stated by the RBI.The cascading effects highlighted the world’s reliance on Microsoft and a handful of cybersecurity firms like CrowdStrike that provide the world’s technological backbone. When a single flawed piece of software is released over the internet, it can almost instantly damage countless companies and organisations that depend on those software providers to conduct everyday business.

Abridged fromThe New York Times