London, UK – Microsoft reported that a global IT outage has disabled an estimated 8.5 million computers worldwide, marking one of the largest cyber-incidents in history. The incident originated from a corrupted software update sent out by cybersecurity company CrowdStrike to its extensive client base.

According to David Weston, vice-president at Microsoft, the impact of CrowdStrike’s update affected less than 1% of all Windows devices globally, emphasizing the need for quality control checks on software updates before distribution. This event underscores the importance of safe deployment practices and disaster recovery mechanisms in the tech ecosystem.

The fallout from the IT glitch has led to significant economic and societal impacts, raising concerns about opportunistic hacking attempts linked to the outage. Cybersecurity experts and agencies worldwide are cautioning individuals to beware of fake emails, calls, and websites posing as official sources in the aftermath of the outage.

George Kurtz, head of CrowdStrike, urged users to verify the authenticity of communications from the company before downloading fixes, as malicious actors may seek to exploit the situation. As cyber agencies observe a rise in domain registrations mimicking CrowdStrike’s official website, they advise IT responders to rely solely on authorized channels for information and assistance.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the evolving landscape of cybersecurity threats, prompting individuals and organizations to be hyper-vigilant in safeguarding against potential cyberattacks. With the potential for further hacking attempts in the wake of major events like this, maintaining a high level of scrutiny and adherence to official guidelines is crucial to mitigating risks in the digital environment.