Reports indicate widespread disruption, including Sky News in the UK going off-air, issues at New Zealand’s Christchurch International Airport, and there are also issues with electronic payments and cash withdrawals. Multiple airports in Japan, India, and Amsterdam have reported delays, while US airlines United, Delta, and American Airlines have issued a global ground stop on all flights. Additionally, Alaska State Troopers have reported a 911 outage.
In Europe, major airports like Zurich, Belfast, and Berlin have also reported canceled flights and major delays. Two hospitals in Germany canceled non-emergency operations, and the Paris Olympics IT systems were impacted. American Airlines cited Crowdstrike’s technical issue as the root cause, affecting flights worldwide.
The disruption has also impacted various sectors such as pharmacies, betting firms, and grocery stores like Morrisons. Crowdstrike has acknowledged the issue, attributing it to a defective update in its software for Windows systems and has deployed a fix. The outage has highlighted the significant dependency on IT systems across various industries, causing delays and operational challenges worldwide.
Additionally, the NHS in the UK reported disruptions in GP appointment systems, impacting patient care. Ladbrokes, a British betting firm, and the Baltic Hub in Poland also experienced operational challenges. The widespread nature of these IT issues underscores the critical need for robust cybersecurity measures and quick response mechanisms to handle such extensive outages effectively.
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