A widespread Windows Blackout has disrupted computer systems globally, affecting emergency services, banks, airports, and more. Reports indicate a major Windows failure is causing machines to fail to boot, with suspicions pointing to software from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.

The Windows blackout is wreaking havoc worldwide. Flights are grounded at airports, online banking services are refusing access, and broadcasters are going off air. Unconfirmed reports suggest that the issue is related to an update from CrowdStrike that led to the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) on many Windows machines. Additionally, a separate Microsoft Azure outage is exacerbating problems, particularly in air travel.

 Disrupted Services

• Flights grounded: Airports worldwide report grounded flights, causing travel chaos.
• Online banking disruption: Customers are unable to log in or transact, affecting financial operations.
• Broadcasters off air: Major broadcasters, including Sky News in the U.K., are currently off air due to the blackout.
• Emergency services computer failure: U.S. emergency service computers are affected, with reports from Oregon of 911 services being down.

 Widespread IT Issues

Troy Hunt, the creator of the HaveIBeenPwned website, noted the widespread reports of Windows PCs experiencing the infamous BSoD. “Something super weird happening right now: just been called by several totally different media outlets in the last few minutes, all with Windows machines suddenly BSoD’ing (Blue Screen of Death),” he posted in X.com.

U.S. emergency service computers affected: A commenter on Hacker News reported an entire emergency department going offline, affecting critical services like ambulance operations.

Southern Railway IT issues: In the U.K., Southern Railway posted on X about widespread IT issues leading to train service disruptions, particularly on the Thameslink and Great Northern networks.

Sky News off air: The broadcaster has been hit by the Windows failure, causing them to go off air.

Microsoft users in India were also affected by the global outage that impacted the tech giant’s products, including Teams, Microsoft 365, and Outlook. Thousands of Indian users experienced disruptions, with around 3,900 people reporting issues with Teams on Downdetector.com. Additionally, there were numerous reports of problems across other Microsoft products from users in India.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that CrowdStrike’s support engineers have identified the problem as stemming from a flawed update. Security expert Kevin Beaumont reported obtaining the CrowdStrike driver believed to have caused the issue. “I have obtained the CrowdStrike driver they pushed via auto update,” he posted. “The file isn’t a validly formatted driver and causes Windows to crash every time.” Beaumont added that the fix would require manual application on each affected machine, potentially slowing recovery efforts significantly.

This global IT issue underscores the critical dependency on Windows systems across various sectors. The need for immediate and effective solutions is paramount as the impact of this blackout continues to unfold. Professionals in IT and cybersecurity must stay informed as developments progress and solutions are implemented. The Windows blackout highlights the fragility of interconnected systems and the widespread repercussions of software failures, emphasizing the importance of robust cybersecurity measures and contingency planning.