Recently, CrowdStrike customers using the Falcon Sensor cybersecurity package encountered a significant tech failure. This problem caused chaos for IT departments and left many high-profile companies, including airlines, hospitals, banks, and first responder systems, in a tough spot.
What Happened with CrowdStrike’s Tech Failure?
The problem started with an update from CrowdStrike. They introduced a new Microsoft Windows system driver that contained a defect, or bug, causing Windows systems to fail to boot and resulting in the dreaded blue screen of death (BSOD).
The Impact of the Outage
The defective driver triggered upon booting Microsoft Windows, preventing affected systems from starting up. As a result, IT departments couldn’t remotely address the issue and had to manually remove the faulty system driver from each impacted computer—a time-consuming and labor-intensive process.
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Who was Affected by this Tech Failure?
This issue specifically impacted Windows customers using CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor. Other cybersecurity software or operating systems remained unaffected. However, the widespread use of Falcon Sensor among high-profile companies had caused a significant global impact.
The Scope
This was not a Microsoft outage or a Windows issue, but a defect within the CrowdStrike product. Given the number of high-profile clients using this software, the outage had far-reaching consequences.
How to Prevent Tech Failure: The 5 Pillars Solution
To prevent similar issues in the future, companies can adopt Clear Measure’s five pillars:
1. Create Clarity
The business purpose of a software development project establishes what is being built and why it’s important. Clear objectives and thorough communication can help ensure everyone understands the goals and significance of the project, reducing the risk of critical oversights.
2. Establish Quality
The benefits that result from quality development are both internal, for the leadership and development teams, and external, for customers and end users. Rigorous testing and quality assurance processes are essential to prevent software defects like the one seen in the recent CrowdStrike update.
3. Achieve Stability
Stability in software development equates to less stress on systems and teams and is a key factor in allowing the development team to focus on improvements rather than repairs. A stable environment ensures that updates do not introduce new issues that could disrupt operations.
4. Increase Speed
Increasing speed is critical in software development. Mapping the complete value stream for software development and managing throughput at each stage allows teams to move fast and deliver maximum value. However, speed should not come at the expense of quality and stability.
5. Lead the Team
Competent leadership is the cornerstone for successful software development and achievement of foundational principles so that the team becomes and remains highly effective. Strong leadership can guide teams through challenges and ensure adherence to best practices.
Learn More About the 5 Pillars of the Clear Measure Way
By focusing on these five pillars, companies can improve their software development processes, reduce the risk of critical tech failures, and ensure a more reliable and efficient delivery of software products.
In conclusion, CrowdStrike has addressed the issue caused by the defective Falcon Sensor update, but this incident highlighted the complexities and vulnerabilities of our digital world.
Adopting these five pillars can help organizations build more resilient and effective software development practices, safeguarding against similar issues in the future.