A week ago, a faulty software update from cybersecurity provider Crowdstrike triggered the world’s largest IT failure. The company has now reported that 97 percent of all affected computers are up and running again – but a quarter of a million are not yet.
Last Friday, more than 8.5 million Windows computers failed after a faulty software update from Crowdstrike. The consequences were particularly felt at airports (FIDS displays), but supermarkets (self-checkout terminals), hotels, hospitals, banks and television stations also had problems.
Some DooH screens, for example at Times Square in New York City and of Clear Channel US, were also affected. But the majority of digital signage and DooH networks are obviously not considered business critical and were therefore not protected by enterprise cybersecurity solutions such as Crowdstrike.
Similar to Southwest Airlines – which, thanks to Windows 3.11. did not have to report any failed PCs – the digital signage and DooH industry was also hardly affected due to a widespread lack of professional cybersecurity protection. It is questionable whether this reflects a good image of the industry.
250,000 Windows PCs still inoperable
According to a current statement from Crowdstrike, 97 percent of the affected computers are running again. At the same time, this means that around 250,000 computers are probably still inoperable.
Crowdstrike boss George Kurtz assured in a statement today, that the company will not rest until all computers have been restored. Crowdstrike’s test systems are now being improved – and updates will be rolled out gradually in the future so that any problems do not immediately affect all customers.