Much of the world faced online disarray Friday as a affected companies and services across industries 香蕉视频直播� grounding flights, knocking banks and hospital systems offline and media outlets off air.

At the heart of the massive disruption is , a cybersecurity firm that worldwide. The company says the problem occurred when it deployed a faulty update to computers running Microsoft Windows, noting that the issue behind the outage was not a security incident or cyberattack.

CrowdStrike has said a fix is on the way. Still, hours after the problem was first detected.

Here香蕉视频直播檚 what you need to know.

How did Friday香蕉视频直播檚 香蕉视频直播榖lue screen香蕉视频直播� outage emerge?

Friday香蕉视频直播檚 disruptions began when a faulty update was pushed out from CrowdStrike for one of its tools, 香蕉视频直播淔alcon.香蕉视频直播� In a statement about the ongoing situation, the company said the defect was found 香蕉视频直播渋n a single content update for Windows hosts香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� noting that Mac and Linux systems were not impacted.

But, because scores of companies rely on CrowdStrike for their security needs with Windows as their operating system, the consequences of this kind of technical problem have been far-reaching. As a result, affected computer after computer showed the 香蕉视频直播渂lue screen of death香蕉视频直播� error message.

Long lines in the U.S., Europe and Asia as airlines lost access to check-in and booking services during peak summer travel 香蕉视频直播� disrupting thousands of flights. Banks and New Zealand reported outages impacting payments. Some news stations, particularly in Australia, were unable to broadcast for hours. And had problems with their appointment systems, leading to delays and sometimes cancelations for critical care, while officials in some U.S. states in their areas.

Elsewhere, people experienced more minor inconveniences, including trouble ordering ahead at Starbucks, causing long lines at some of the coffee chain香蕉视频直播檚 stores. Some billboards in New York City香蕉视频直播檚 famous Times Square .

Experts stress that Friday香蕉视频直播檚 disruptions underscore the vulnerability of worldwide dependence on software that comes from only a handful of providers.

香蕉视频直播淚t is an 香蕉视频直播榓ll our eggs are in one basket香蕉视频直播� situation,香蕉视频直播� Craig Shue, professor and computer science department head at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, said in emailed commentary. 香蕉视频直播淭his lets us make sure our 香蕉视频直播榖asket香蕉视频直播� is high quality: the software provider tries to identify threats and respond to them quickly. But at the same time, if anything goes wrong and the basket fails, we have a lot of broken eggs.香蕉视频直播�

What is CrowdStrike?

is a U.S. cybersecurity company that provides software to companies around the world and across industries. It bills itself as being the globe香蕉视频直播檚 most advanced cloud-based security technology provider.

香蕉视频直播淲e stop breaches,香蕉视频直播� the cybersecurity company says on its website.

According to its website, CrowdStrike was founded in 2011 and launched in early 2012. It listed on the Nasdaq exchange five years ago. Last month, the Austin, Texas, company reported that its revenue rose 33% in the latest quarter from the same quarter a year earlier 香蕉视频直播� logging a net profit of $42.8 million, up from $491,000 in the first quarter of last year. It reported having 29,000 subscribing customers.

CrowdStrike has a partnership with Amazon Web Services and its 香蕉视频直播淔alcon for Defender香蕉视频直播� security technology is designed to supplement Microsoft Defender to prevent attacks.

Is there a fix?

Disruptions on Friday continued hours after CrowdStrike first identified the issue. But both the company and Microsoft said that they香蕉视频直播檙e .

In an emailed statement, CrowdStrike said that it was 香蕉视频直播渁ctively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts香蕉视频直播� 香蕉视频直播� adding that a fix 香蕉视频直播渉ad been deployed香蕉视频直播� for the identified issue.

CrowdStrike President and CEO George Kurtz later apologized. 香蕉视频直播淲e understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption,香蕉视频直播� he wrote on .

Microsoft spokesperson Frank X. Shaw said that the company was 香蕉视频直播渁ctively supporting customers to assist in their recovery.香蕉视频直播� Both CrowdStrike and Microsoft are also appearing to engage IT personnel on official online channels, such as Reddit.

While the problem is fixable, it requires some expertise 香蕉视频直播� and its impacts could last long past Friday, with Kurtz noting earlier that some customers may need a 香蕉视频直播渕anual香蕉视频直播� fix. Cybersecurity experts also warn of bad actors who may reach out claiming they can help. Smaller companies or organizations with less IT resources are particularly at risk.

Gartner analyst Eric Grenier noted that those affected should make sure they香蕉视频直播檙e talking to trusted organizations as they work towards recovery. 香蕉视频直播淎ttackers will definitely prey on organizations as a result of this,香蕉视频直播� he said.

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