Global IT Outages Cause Chaos Across Industries – Over 1,000 Flights Canceled, Hospitals and Banks Affected

A global IT outage caused chaos worldwide on Friday morning, with over 1,000 flights canceled and internal and external systems across various industries affected, including hospitals, banks, stock exchanges, and other institutions. The outage was linked to Microsoft-based computers that stopped working, leading to widespread disruptions.

CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, clarified that the outage was not due to a cyber attack but rather a software issue that has been identified. The company has deployed a fix to address the problem, although the timeline for full restoration varies for different organizations.

Hospitals, government agencies, and transportation systems were among those impacted by the outage, with reports of canceled surgeries, IT disruptions, and communication breakdowns. The Alaska State Troopers reported 911 outages, while the Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services were also affected.

In the aviation industry, major airlines like American, United, and Delta grounded flights following the outage, leading to over 1,000 cancellations. Passengers faced delays and uncertainty as airports struggled to restore operations. President Joe Biden was briefed on the situation, and the White House is monitoring the situation closely.

The stock price of CrowdStrike took a hit in trading as a result of the outage, reflecting the broader impact on the company and its clients. With the situation rapidly evolving, updates are expected as organizations work to resolve the issues and restore normal operations.