A recent update to the CrowdStrike Falcon sensor has led to widespread disruptions for Windows users globally, forcing machines into blue screen of death (BSOD) loops and rendering systems inoperable. Businesses including banks, airlines, telecommunications companies, TV and radio broadcasters, and supermarkets have been taken offline.
The issue, which emerged initially in Australia on 19th July 2024, affects Windows 10 and 11 systems running CrowdStrike’s endpoint security software. Users have reported experiencing recurring BSODs displaying the error message “DRIVER_OVERRAN_STACK_BUFFER,” which prevents normal system startup and operation.
CrowdStrike has acknowledged the problem, confirming they are “aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor” and that their engineering teams are actively working towards a resolution.
The company is advising affected users against opening individual support tickets at this time. The impact of this update has been particularly severe for enterprise customers, with some organisations reporting that thousands of devices, including business-critical production servers and SQL nodes, have been affected.
IT departments are working rapidly to mitigate the damage, with some resorting to removing CrowdStrike-related files from impacted systems to restore functionality.
This incident underscores the potential risks associated with automatic updates for security software, particularly within enterprise environments. Many affected users are now advocating for more stringent testing procedures and the implementation of phased rollout policies to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
As the situation progresses, CrowdStrike is anticipated to provide further updates and a permanent solution to the issue. In the meantime, affected users are advised to monitor official CrowdStrike communication channels for guidance on recovery procedures and temporary workarounds.
Across the UK 10:15 19/7/2024
- Heathrow said flights were “operational” but the airport was “experiencing delays”.
- London Gatwick warned passengers may experience delays but passengers should still arrive at their scheduled check-in time.
- Luton Airport said that a global IT outage is affecting some airlines and operations are continuing with manual systems.
- London Stansted Airport said that some airline check-in services are being done manually as a result of the IT outage, but “flights are still operating as normal”.
- A spokesman for Manchester Airport said: “The international IT outage has affected ground handling services for some airlines – specifically those that use Swissport. Some processes like check-in and boarding are taking longer than usual for affected airlines.”
- Liverpool Airport said: “We are seeing an impact, it is affecting some airlines, but not all, at check-in.”
- Edinburgh Airport said the IT outage is causing longer waiting times
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