Global IT Outage: Is This A Warning?

On 19 July 2024, many of our lives world faced a seismic shock when a glitch in the CrowdStrike Falcon cybersecurity platform led to a massive global IT outage. This wasn’t a mere inconvenience; it caused a “blue screen of death” on around 8.5 million Windows devices worldwide. The fallout was catastrophic, disrupting essential services across healthcare, aviation, finance and more. But if we take a step back for a second and reflect on what’s happened, this incident raises a crucial question: Is this a warning for our overreliance on modern technology and the organisations that manage it? Are we prepared for things like this? Should we rethink our readiness for such events?

The impact of the CrowdStrike outage was both immediate and profound. I remember vividly hearing about the chaos within the NHS in the UK. Hospitals were struggling to access patient records, manage medical equipment, and handle appointments. Then within hours i received a text message from my own GP Surgery stating:

“Please be aware we are experiencing a technical issue with our main computer systems. This is a national issue with the program, they are working to fix this as soon as possible. Please only contact us if it is an urgent issue. We are also currently unable to process prescriptions.”

A few things immediately came to mind, the overwhelming one was that I like most people, already only contact you if urgent, to which even with working systems you are unable to take my call, deal with my enquiry or send through my repeat prescription in time for me to not miss scheduled doses.

Having worked throughout my career in a huge number of environments where technology underpins operations, I know just how critical these systems are. The thought of such disruptions affecting a patient, customer or client is a stark reminder of our deep dependence on digital infrastructure.

Another industry that was widely in the media was the airline industry, who also faced a crisis, with flights delayed and cancelled as airport systems failed. Thousands of passengers found themselves stranded, and airlines were left scrambling to restore normal operations. I count myself lucky that it was only 24-hours prior to this that I myself was travelling through airports on my return from a business trip. On the news there was many examples for exhausted families who had been left waiting on “delayed” flights for many hours, before eventually having their flights cancelled. That kind of situation is stressful and challenging enough alone, let alone with young children to keep entertained, emotions controlled and tummies full. My heart goes out to those families!

It also made me reflect on the broader impact of such disruptions—not just on the travel plans of individuals, but on the logistical fabric of our interconnected world.

Financial institutions weren’t spared either. Banks and financial services struggled with transaction processing, causing turmoil across the global financial system. This incident underscored the interconnected nature of our modern world and how a single point of failure can trigger a chain reaction of issues.

The incident brings to light a critical issue: our growing reliance on centralised technology and the organisations responsible for it. From my experience, I’ve seen the efficiencies and innovations that modern technology provides, but this event highlights the risks of placing too much trust in any single provider.

Benjamin Franklin’s timeless wisdom rings particularly true here: “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” This incident serves as a stark reminder that preparation isn’t just a precaution; it’s essential for resilience. The CrowdStrike outage underscores the need for robust preparation and risk management strategies to handle such disruptions.

Drawing from this incident, here are my 4-strategies that I would focus on to enhance our preparedness:

1. Diversify Solutions: Relying on a single provider is risky. In my work, I’ve seen how a multi-layered approach to cybersecurity and IT services can mitigate potential failures. It’s worth considering how diversified your strategy is and exploring alternative solutions.
2. Strengthen Contingency Plans: Robust disaster recovery and business continuity plans are crucial. This outage reinforces the need for comprehensive strategies that ensure quick recovery and operational stability. Reviewing and updating your plans regularly can make a significant difference. Key to this is your people, do they know what to do? When to do it?
3. Regular Testing: Frequent system testing and updates are vital. The CrowdStrike outage serves as a reminder of why ongoing maintenance and vulnerability assessments are essential. Regular checks can help identify and address issues before they escalate. It’s always better to be proactive than reactive.
4. Communicate Transparently: Effective communication during disruptions is key. Clear, timely updates can help manage the situation and maintain trust. I’ve found that transparency during crises can significantly impact how well they are handled. Keeping people informed, what, when, why and who can make such a difference. People still might not be happy, but they will respect being informed.

Looking forward, this incident is more than a technical failure; for me it’s a wake-up call about our reliance on modern technology and its overseers. As our dependence on digital solutions grows, so does the need for better preparedness and risk management. This incident echoes Benjamin Franklin’s wisdom: preparation is not merely a best practice; it’s a necessity.

Let’s use this opportunity to reassess our approach to technology dependence and ensure we’re ready for whatever comes next. I’d love to hear your thoughts—how do you think we should prepare for such disruptions? Together, we can build a more resilient and robust process.

Learn more about me and how I can help you at www.eversolean.com