10:45 Update –
Al Lakhani, CEO of IDEE, said: “Many people might be thanking Microsoft for their accidental day off, but countless businesses are suffering due to Microsoft’s and their partners’ failure to maintain their services. This incident underscores the importance of businesses thoroughly researching and vetting their cybersecurity solutions before implementation. Microsoft clearly fell short in this regard, and we are witnessing a cascade of operational failures around the world as a result.
“CrowdStrike’s platform approach, which relies on a single agent focused on detection, might seem good at first glance, but as we can see, it can create significant issues. For instance, agents require installation and maintenance of software on multiple different OSes, adding layers of complexity and potential points of failure. Moreover, agents can become a single point of failure, as a bad update can compromise the entire network, as seen with the SolarWinds attack.
“The lesson here is blindingly obvious: investing in cybersecurity is not just about acquiring the latest or most popular tools but ensuring those tools are reliable and resilient. This is why businesses must prioritise agentless solutions like MFA 2.0, which reduce the risk of widespread failures and ensure more resilient defences.”
Original story –
Ryanair has issued a warning about potential disruptions to its network, while Sky News has gone off-air as a global IT outage impacts multiple sectors.
Global IT Outage Linked to Microsoft Sweeps Across the World
Banks, airlines, supermarkets, and rail companies have been severely affected by a global IT outage connected to Microsoft devices. The tech giant has confirmed it is working to resolve the issue.
Flights have been grounded in several countries, and both rail and air companies in the UK are reporting “widespread IT issues.” The outage has also taken Sky News off-air, affecting media firms worldwide.
Ryanair and Edinburgh Airport Warn of Flight Disruptions
Ryanair has alerted its passengers about potential disruptions across its network due to the third-party system outage. In a statement to STV News, the airline said:
“Potential disruptions across the network (Fri 19 July) due to a global 3rd party system outage. Affected passengers will be notified and any passengers travelling across the network on Fri 19 July should check their Ryanair app for the latest updates on their flight. We advise passengers to arrive at the airport 3 hours in advance of their flight to avoid any disruptions. We regret any inconvenience caused to passengers by this 3rd party IT issue, which is outside of Ryanair’s control and affects all airlines operating across the network.”
Edinburgh Airport has also warned passengers of longer wait times due to the outage, which has caused its departure board to freeze. In a statement to STV News, the airport said:
“An IT system outage means wait times are longer than usual at the airport. This outage is affecting many other businesses, including airports. Work is ongoing to resolve this and our teams are on hand to assist where we can. Passengers are thanked for their patience.”
The cause of the IT issue remains unclear, but efforts are underway to restore normal service.
Global Impact of IT Outage
Reports have emerged suggesting that cybersecurity company Crowdstrike may be linked to the disruption. According to the BBC, Crowdstrike issued a software update that caused significant issues, resulting in the “blue screen of death” on many Windows devices. The exact connection between Crowdstrike and the widespread outages remains unclear, but the potential link has been noted.
In New Zealand, Christchurch International Airport is experiencing IT issues affecting flight arrivals and departures. New Zealand’s parliament has also reported problems with its computer network.
Sky News briefly resumed broadcasting before going off-air again, displaying a slate apologizing for the interruption.
In the UK, the bakery chain Gail’s has been unable to process in-store payments. Signs at their London locations inform customers of the issue.
Airports in Japan and India have also been affected. Narita Airport near Tokyo and Delhi Airport have both reported system issues impacting airline operations.
In the US, Alaska State Troopers reported an outage of emergency phone lines, affecting 911 services across the state.
Stansted Airport in London is experiencing long queues, though flights are still operating. Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport has also reported delays, with an unclear number of affected flights.
Sydney Airport witnessed mild chaos as departure boards went blank and check-ins were halted. Virgin Australia experienced a “total ground stop,” but flights have since resumed.
US airlines United, Delta, and American have issued a global ground stop, halting all flights temporarily.
Berlin Airport and Spain’s national airports have reported IT-related delays and have switched to manual systems to continue operations.
UK train companies, including Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express, and Great Northern, have warned passengers of potential disruptions due to widespread IT issues affecting driver diagrams and real-time customer information.
Microsoft has stated it is taking “mitigation actions” to address the ongoing service issues that began on Thursday evening.
