Microsoft has announced steps taken to mitigate the effects of a significant global IT outage linked to a CrowdStrike software update released on July 18. Although the incident was not caused by Microsoft, it had a major impact on its ecosystem.
The company reported that the update from the independent cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted IT systems worldwide. Microsoft is collaborating closely with CrowdStrike and other partners to support customers and minimize the damage. Efforts include working around the clock to develop a scalable solution and coordinating with AWS and GCP for effective response strategies.
The faulty update impacted 8.5 million Windows devices, representing less than one percent of all Windows machines. Despite the relatively small percentage, the economic and societal implications were significant due to CrowdStrike’s role in managing critical services for enterprises.
Microsoft highlighted the incident as a reminder of the interconnected nature of the tech ecosystem, including global cloud providers, software platforms, security vendors, and customers. It underscores the importance of safe deployment practices and robust disaster recovery mechanisms.