Millions of PCs running Windows 10 and 11 Operating Systems have been experiencing a widespread PC meltdown identified as the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) over the past few hours. This technical problem has resulted in significant disruptions across various sectors, including government agencies, transit hubs such as airports, private companies, and municipalities.
Initially, speculation pointed towards a potential cyber attack originating from foreign entities like China or Russia. Certain Reddit groups even suggested state-sponsored hackers aimed at infiltrating servers belonging to Microsoft, led by CEO Satya Nadella, potentially causing billions in losses.
However, Microsoft quickly attributed the outage to a third-party botched windows update and issued an apology. The impact was severe, affecting IT systems in critical sectors like airports and healthcare, including England’s NHS, due to this technical glitch. Worst affected were British Airways, Google of Alphabet, X Corporation aka Twitter, Paris Olympics event and Meta.
George Kurtz, CEO of CrowdStrike, a prominent cybersecurity firm based in Texas, refuted the cyber attack theories. He stated that the disruption stemmed from a technical glitch resulting from an improper software update rollout, effectively dispelling any notions of malicious intent as speculated in some media reports.
Interestingly, the glitch exclusively affected systems running Microsoft Windows, sparing those using Mac and Linux operating systems.
Meanwhile, reports from Telegram indicated that a software update for Crowdstrike Falcon identity threat sensor caused compatibility issues with Windows systems, specifically impacting Windows 10 and 11. This update was identified as the primary reason behind the disruptions experienced. Guidance, including a screenshot, was shared to help users resolve the issue using safe mode boot procedures.
This incident has been characterized as a significant technological setback, resulting in widespread computer network failures. Experts likened it to the 2017 WannaCry Ransomware attack, noting that this disruption had a more profound impact.
Looking ahead, the outage on July 19th, 2024 may not be the last disappointment with Windows service offerings. Approximately 13-14 years from now, the world may face another significant challenge known as the “2038 Problem,” akin to the Millennium Bug, which could potentially cause even greater disruptions than what has been witnessed recently.
It is hoped that by then, alternative operating systems besides Linux and macOS will be available. Efforts are already underway in countries like Russia, India, and China to develop their own domestic operating systems, aimed at securing government servers and reducing reliance on foreign technologies.
