What's happened
A faulty software update from CrowdStrike triggered a global IT outage affecting millions of Windows devices, leading to widespread disruptions in travel, healthcare, and retail. Delta Airlines faced significant operational challenges, resulting in thousands of flight cancellations and delays. The Biden administration has launched an investigation into Delta's response to the incident.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Aaron Gregg of the Washington Post, the faulty update from CrowdStrike affected approximately 8.5 million devices, causing significant disruptions in various sectors. Delta Airlines, as reported by The Independent, faced ongoing operational challenges, leading to an investigation by the Department of Transportation due to numerous passenger complaints. Business Insider UK highlighted that Delta's IT teams struggled to restore systems, with CEO Ed Bastian acknowledging the critical nature of the outage. The Washington Post also noted that CrowdStrike's CEO, George Kurtz, expressed regret over the incident and promised improvements in their software testing processes.
How we got here
The incident began on July 19, 2024, when a problematic update from CrowdStrike caused a massive IT failure, impacting systems reliant on Microsoft Windows. This led to significant operational disruptions across various sectors, particularly in air travel and healthcare.
Common question
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Delta Air Lines, Inc., typically referred to as Delta, is one of the major airlines of the United States and a legacy carrier. It is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
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Microsoft Windows, commonly referred to as Windows, is a group of several proprietary graphical operating system families, all of which are developed and marketed by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry.