The global IT outage has disrupted key services around the world, disrupting public transport links, delaying international flights and limiting the operations of medical facilities and businesses.
Here's what you need to know:
What caused the power outage? The outage appears to be at least partly caused by a software update released by CrowdStrike for Microsoft's Windows systems. The US cybersecurity firm told customers early Friday that its engineers were working to address the issue, according to an advisory seen by CNN. The problem is specific to Falcon, which is designed to protect files stored in the cloud.
How long will the power outage last? Microsoft said the “root cause” of the outage has been “resolved,” but added that some services are still affected. “We are implementing additional mitigation steps as a remedy,” the company said in a post on X. Some services have been restored, but others are still suffering from the outage.
Who was influenced? Banks, health services and critical infrastructure around the world were affected by the outage. Healthcare Providers Healthcare services, such as the UK's National Health Service and one of Europe's largest hospitals in northern Germany, are being hamstrung by IT delays. Bank, Broadcaster and supermarket Media outlets in Australia, New Zealand and the UK were affected, including ABC News and Sky News.
The hardest hit airlines: Panicked travelers could be seen lining the hallways of major airports on Friday as U.S. and other international airlines across Europe, Asia and the Middle East were forced to delay or cancel flights. About 110,000 commercial flights are scheduled around the world today, according to preliminary data provided to CNN by aviation analytics firm Cirium. As of 6 a.m. ET, 1,390 flights had been canceled worldwide, a figure that is on the rise.
International reaction: The White House said it was “investigating” the disruption caused by the cyber outage on Friday morning. “We are aware of the incident and are investigating the issue and its impact,” a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told CNN. Meanwhile, the British government has called an emergency meeting to discuss the outage, Downing Street said in a statement, according to Britain's PA media news agency.
