A recent update to CrowdStrike Falcon has caused significant disruptions for Windows users globally, leading to widespread ‘Blue Screen of Death’ (BSOD) errors. This malfunction has affected numerous organizations, including airports, TV stations, hospitals, and emergency services in both the U.S. and Canada.
The Problem
The faulty update has led to severe issues for Windows workstations and servers, with many users reporting that their systems are either stuck in a boot loop or crashing. The issue stems from a problematic component in the latest CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor update.
CrowdStrike has acknowledged the problem, attributing it to a defective “Channel File” included in the update. In response, the company has released a technical alert and provided a workaround for affected users.
Workaround and Fix
CrowdStrike’s workaround involves booting affected Windows machines into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment, locating and deleting the problematic file (C-00000291*.sys), and then rebooting the system.
The company also offers guidance for cloud and virtual environments, including rolling back to a snapshot before the issue arose or following a detailed seven-step process to rectify the problem.
CrowdStrike’s CEO, George Kurtz, has confirmed that the company is actively working to resolve the issue and advised affected organizations to communicate with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels.
Widespread Impact
The update’s failure has had a substantial impact across various sectors:
- Emergency Services: 911 agencies in New York, Alaska, Arizona, and parts of Canada have been affected, with some services resorting to manual operations.
- Airports: Schiphol Airport, Melbourne Airport, and Zurich Airport have experienced significant disruptions. Flights have been grounded or delayed, and check-in procedures have been impacted.
- Hospitals: Multiple hospitals, including Scheper in the Netherlands and Bellevue in New York, have faced operational difficulties.
- Media: Several TV stations and news outlets have encountered disruptions due to the update.
Community Response
The outage has led to widespread frustration among users, with reports of tens of thousands of computers being affected. Comments on forums and social media highlight the severity of the situation, with some organizations facing major downtime.
Despite the deployment of a fix and available workarounds, many companies are expected to deal with the repercussions of this incident for some time. IT administrators are bracing for a challenging period as they address the fallout from the update.
As CrowdStrike works to stabilize its systems and address the issue, affected organizations are advised to stay in close contact with the company for ongoing support and updates.
