The World's Largest Computer Crash Just Happened...

Summary

In this video, the host discusses a widespread issue where numerous companies, including banks and airports, experienced system shutdowns due to a faulty update from CloudStrike, an antivirus software provider. The update, intended to prevent cyber attacks, ironically caused blue screens and system crashes globally, leading to significant financial losses. The host humorously details the situation, explaining the necessary steps to fix the problem and emphasizing the importance of proper update testing to avoid such massive blunders.

Takeaways

• 😅 The speaker started their day early and acknowledges their setup is more janky than usual, hinting at potential audio issues.
• 💻 Initially, the speaker thought Microsoft was hacked, but it turns out it's not a Microsoft issue but rather a problem with an antivirus company's update.
• 🛂 Airports and other places are experiencing widespread shutdowns due to blue screens, leading to a mistaken belief of a massive cyber attack.
• 🔍 The company in question, CloudStrike, provides endpoint detection and response software designed to prevent malware and other attacks.
• 🚫 The issue stems from a faulty update pushed by CloudStrike, which ironically caused systems to crash, not a cyber attack.
• 💡 The speaker suggests that the problem is more about a company making a significant mistake rather than a cyber security breach.
• 🛑 The solution involves booting Windows in safe mode and manually removing specific files related to CloudStrike from the system.
• 🚀 The speaker mentions that if you're using Microsoft BitLocker encryption, the situation could be dire, hinting at severe implications for those users.
• 🌐 The impact of the faulty update is global, affecting businesses from the United States to the Philippines.
• 😅 The speaker ends on a humorous note, suggesting that anyone from CloudStrike involved in the update should run for the hills, acknowledging the severity of the mistake.

Q & A

What was the initial assumption about the cause of the widespread blue screens?

The initial assumption was that there was a massive cyber attack or that Microsoft got hacked.

What is CloudStrike Falcon and what does it do?

CloudStrike Falcon is endpoint detection and response software designed to stop breaches via a unified set of cloud-delivered technologies that prevent all types of attacks, including malware.

What was the actual cause of the blue screens in various locations?

The actual cause was a faulty update pushed by CloudStrike, which ended up breaking systems rather than a cyber attack.

How did CloudStrike describe the issue they encountered?

CloudStrike described the issue as a problem with a content update for Windows hosts, which impacted some customers.

What was the immediate impact of the faulty update on companies that use CloudStrike software?

The immediate impact was widespread system crashes, resulting in blue screens and inaccessible computers for employees, causing significant operational disruptions.

What was the recommended fix for the issue caused by the faulty update?

The recommended fix was to boot Windows in safe mode, navigate to the system32 directory, and delete any drivers related to the faulty CrowdStrike file.

What additional complication arose for users of Microsoft BitLocker encryption?

For users of Microsoft BitLocker encryption, the faulty update could potentially render their data inaccessible, with the suggestion being as drastic as 'jumping off a bridge' to illustrate the severity.

How did the speaker describe the scale of the impact caused by the faulty update?

The speaker described the scale of the impact as causing billions of dollars in damages worldwide, affecting companies from different sectors including airlines.

What was the speaker's reaction to the situation as an IT worker?

The speaker empathized with IT workers, highlighting the immense challenge of having to manually fix each computer in an enterprise network.

What was the speaker's advice for the person at CloudStrike who may have pushed the faulty update?

The speaker humorously advised the person responsible at CloudStrike to 'run for the goddamn hills,' indicating the seriousness of the mistake.

How did the speaker conclude the video?

The speaker concluded by apologizing for the suboptimal setup due to being out of town and promised to return to business as usual once back home, hoping no further updates would cause issues.