Microsoft reported on Saturday that approximately 8.5 million computers and devices worldwide running Windows were impacted by a recent global IT outage.
The issue stemmed from a corrupted update released by security firm CrowdStrike, which wreaked havoc worldwide from Thursday into Friday.
“We estimate that CrowdStrike’s update affected 8.5 million Windows devices, which is less than one percent of all Windows machines,” Microsoft stated in a blog post.
The faulty update led to system disruptions that severely hindered daily operations for businesses and individuals. Additionally, it caused numerous flight cancellations, disrupted broadcasting services, and left customers without access to essential services such as healthcare and banking.
Ciaran Martin, former head of Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre, commented on the widespread impact: “We’ve long discussed the vulnerability of fundamental components of the internet—these crucial elements of infrastructure that support the entire system. When they fail, the global consequences can be significant.”
In response, the National Cyber Security Centre advised vigilance against phishing attempts, while Germany’s IT security agency cautioned about cybercriminals exploiting the situation with fraudulent websites and online scams.
CrowdStrike, which apologized for the disruption, confirmed on Sunday that it was actively helping affected customers and had implemented a solution to address the issue.
