By Mayank Chhaya-
The global computer outage, which disrupted sectors across a wide spectrum yesterday, is the first such instance of how the fusion of software and hardware is so fully entrenched in human life.
What has been described as “a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts” practically shut down normal operations in health care, airlines, banks and scores of other businesses. This is a sci-fi level example of how as a civilization grows technologically more advanced, the more it also becomes vulnerable to collapse due to even a minor glitch.
The outage, from which the world is gradually recovering today, was caused by an update issued by the cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. During the process of the update computers kept shutting down restarting randomly and often freezing on a blue screen.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz tweeted, “CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers.”
It was important for Kurz to clarify that this was not a security incident or cyberattack considering the overwhelming dependence of the global and national economies as well as national and international security on computers.
Airports, banks, hospitals, logistics and emergency services were affected by the update illustrating how deeply enmeshed the digital world is in the real material world. Even three decades ago this failure would have seemed like science fiction but now it is everyday reality. The outage is being described by cybersecurity experts as “historic” considering nothing comparable on this scale has happened so far.
To get a precise definition of a software update, this correspondent deliberately asked ChatGPT. It said, “A software update is a process where the existing software on a device or system is modified to a newer version. This typically involves installing new or revised code to improve the functionality, security, and performance of the software.”
Essentially, what this means is that a code, which is a set of instructions written in a programming language that is executed by a computer, had a defect that CrowdStrike sought to rectify by deploying an update. That in turn likely confused computers around the world causing the disruptions.
It is a measure of how completely computer programming is taken for granted that it is only when a mass event like this outage happens does humanity realize the amount of work that goes into keeping the world running in the 21st century.
Rather than asking CrowdStrike what it does, Indica News asked ChatGPT and this is what it said, “CrowdStrike is a cybersecurity technology company that provides advanced security solutions to protect organizations from cyber threats. Its primary focus is on endpoint protection, threat intelligence, and incident response.”
“Overall, CrowdStrike focuses on providing robust and proactive cybersecurity measures to help organizations protect their digital assets, detect and respond to threats, and maintain a strong security posture,” it said.
Referring to the outage, the company explains on its website the symptoms in the following way:
“Symptoms include hosts experiencing a bugcheck\blue screen error related to the Falcon Sensor.
Windows hosts which have not been impacted do not require any action as the problematic channel file has been reverted.
Windows hosts which are brought online after 0527 UTC will also not be impacted. Hosts running Windows 7/2008 R2 are not impacted. This issue is not impacting Mac- or Linux-based hosts. Channel file “C-00000291*.sys” with timestamp of 0527 UTC or later is the reverted (good) version. Channel file “C-00000291*.sys” with timestamp of 0409 UTC is the problematic version.”
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