Global Microsoft Outage: Windows Users Encounter Blue Screen of Death Due to CrowdStrike Error
19.07.2024: Millions of Windows users worldwide faced a massive disruption today due to the notorious Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). This critical error, triggered by a CrowdStrike ‘Falcon Sensor’ update, caused systems to shut down or restart unexpectedly, impacting various industries including airlines, banks, and stock markets.
Airline Disruptions
Airports globally reported significant delays as check-in systems went offline, forcing manual handling of services. Indian airlines like Akasa Air and IndiGo took to X (formerly Twitter) to update passengers about the disruptions.
Akasa Air (@AkasaAir)
“Due to infrastructure issues with our service provider, some of our online services, including booking, check-in, and manage booking services will be temporarily unavailable. Currently, we are following manual check-in and boarding processes at the airports and hence…”
IndiGo (@IndiGo6E)
“Our systems are currently impacted by a Microsoft outage, which is also affecting other companies. During this time booking, check-in, access to your boarding pass, and some flights may be impacted. We appreciate your patience.”
Impact Across the Globe
Social media flooded with images of users stuck on recovery pages, displaying messages like: “It looks like Windows didn’t load correctly. If you’d like to restart and try again, choose Restart my PC below.”
National Cyber Security Coordinator (@AUCyberSecCoord)
“I am aware of a large-scale technical outage affecting a number of companies and services across Australia this afternoon. Our current information is this outage relates to a technical issue with a third-party software platform employed by affected companies.”
Major US carriers such as American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United Airlines issued ground stops, citing communication issues. US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg assured that the department is monitoring the situation and will hold airlines accountable for meeting passenger needs.
Microsoft’s Response
Microsoft acknowledged the issue, stating they are taking “mitigation actions” to resolve the service interruptions. The company emphasized their commitment to addressing the impact on Microsoft 365 apps, which remain in a degraded state.
“Our services are still seeing continuous improvements while we continue to take mitigation actions,” Microsoft stated on X. “We remain committed to treating this event with the highest priority and urgency.”
Understanding the Blue Screen of Death
The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) occurs when a critical issue forces Windows to shut down or restart. Users may see messages like, “Windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.”
These errors can be caused by hardware or software problems. If you recently installed new hardware and encountered a BSOD, try removing the hardware and restarting your PC. If restarting is difficult, initiate your PC in safe mode. Detailed instructions for starting in safe mode can be found on the Windows support site.
Fixing Windows Blue Screen Errors
If you encounter a Blue Screen error, follow these steps to troubleshoot:
- Open the Get Help app in Windows.
- Type “Troubleshoot BSOD error” in the search bar.
- Follow the step-by-step instructions provided.
For persistent issues, consider updating Windows with the latest patches, seeking assistance from technical support, or restoring Windows to a previous restore point.