Shawn Henry, Chief Security Officer at CrowdStrike, acknowledged a serious failure on their part last Friday, which has significantly impacted their customers and partners. With a career spanning almost 40 years, including 24 years at the FBI, Henry's aim has always been to "protect good people from bad things." After transitioning to CrowdStrike in 2012, the company successfully fought against cyber threats for over a decade. Despite this recent failure, which he describes as a profound gut punch, CrowdStrike is working round the clock to restore customer systems and regain the lost trust. Henry assures stakeholders that the team is committed to emerging stronger and better from this challenging experience.

Shawn Henry Chief Security Officer Crowdstrike: On Friday we failed you, and for that I’m deeply sorry. LinkedIn

CrowdStrike has addressed an issue affecting Windows hosts caused by a defect in a recent Falcon content update. While Mac and Linux systems were not impacted, the defect triggered blue screen errors and other disruptions on Windows host systems. A fix has been deployed, reverting to a stable version of the problematic file, and CrowdStrike has ensured that their Falcon platform systems are not compromised. Customers are advised to stay updated through official CrowdStrike channels and verify communications to avoid exploitation by adversaries. Detailed remediation steps and resources are available on the CrowdStrike support portal.

Falcon Content Update Remediation and Guidance Hub | CrowdStrike publication

In response to a major Crowdstrike outage, Jeff D., Vice President & CTO at Parkland Health, shared key lessons on LinkedIn. He highlighted the fallibility of even top-tier tech companies, the dual nature of protective tools, and the drastic impact of tech absences. He emphasized the need for automated vendor fixes, thorough preparation for major events, and robust downtime procedures spearheaded by business process owners, not IT. The event underscores the importance of vigilance, preparedness, and effective crisis management in maintaining business continuity in technology-dependent environments.

Huge Microsoft Outage Linked to CrowdStrike Takes Down Computers Around… wired.com

William Walders highlights the critical need for organizations to prepare for disruptions not only from direct IT issues but also from third-party services. Reflecting on the recent CrowdStrike outage, he emphasizes the inevitability of operational disruptions from various sources like natural disasters and cyber incidents. Walders advocates for robust business continuity plans, strong internal and external relationships, and flexible IT infrastructure to ensure effective recovery. He also underscores the importance of digital adoption and leveraging BYOD capabilities for seamless work continuity, stressing that preparation and communication are essential for navigating such challenges successfully.

William Walders on LinkedIn: Some random thoughts from me today in light of the CrowdStrike outage… | 14 comments LinkedIn