Observed Signal · Jul 23, 2024 · Technical Release · Source: Trending Topics · Impact: 4/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Microsoft Blames EU for Global IT Outage Caused by CrowdStrike
Microsoft has blamed the European Union for the global IT outage on July 19, 2024, which affected up to 8.5 million Windows devices. The outage was caused by a faulty update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike's Falcon antivirus software, which triggered the 'Blue Screen of Death' on many Windows 10 PCs. Microsoft argues that a 2009 agreement with the European Commission, made to avoid antitrust investigations, forced it to allow security vendors to install software at the kernel level, preventing it from blocking the update. Apple blocked such kernel access in 2020. The economic damage is estimated to exceed $1 billion, according to the Anderson Economic Group.
Major global IT outage caused by a faulty security update, raising questions about platform regulation and kernel access, affecting millions of Windows devices and businesses.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Up to 8.5 million Windows devices were affected by the CrowdStrike update outage.
- The outage was caused by a faulty CrowdStrike Falcon antivirus update triggering Blue Screen of Death on Windows 10 PCs.
- Microsoft blames a 2009 agreement with the European Commission for preventing it from blocking the kernel-level update.
- Apple blocked kernel access on its Mac computers in 2020, avoiding similar issues.
- Estimated costs exceed $1 billion, according to the Anderson Economic Group.
Connected Companies & Entities
4 Entities mapped“Microsoft estimates up to 8.5 million Windows devices were affected by the outage....”
“CrowdStrike's Falcon antivirus software caused the Blue Screen of Death on Windows PCs....”
“Apple blocked kernel access on Macs in 2020, avoiding similar issues....”
“According to the Wall Street Journal, Mac and Linux computers were not affected despite receiving the same software....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
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