A major IT glitch that has impacted businesses and services around the world could take days to fully fix, experts say.
This outage was caused by a fault in the “Falcon sensor” used by American software company CrowdStrike.
CrowdStrike’s software is used on Microsoft systems, hence the widespread impact of the problem.
The fault occurred at about 3pm Australian time, causing major disruptions to businesses far and wide including supermarkets, petrol stations, banks and retailers.
Many businesses closed their doors early, unable to take payments. Others are operating but with limited resources and in some cases, only able to process cash payments.
In many cases IT departments and major companies have developed workarounds to keep operating. It will take several days before proper fixes are implemented.
Jetstar is currently impacted by a global software issue that’s impacted airlines and other businesses around the world.
We’re working with our providers to resolve the issues as quickly as possible.
For more information: https://t.co/2D8KsyeemJ
— Jetstar Airways (@JetstarAirways) July 19, 2024
CrowdStrike has now rolled out a fix to the problem but it is understood the solution could take days to properly implement in affected systems.
“CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted,” CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said in a statement posted to X.
“This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website.
“We further recommend organisations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers.”
There is no impact to emergency calls being received on 000 and Australian mobile networks are operational.
Services NSW was among those organisations down.
Woolworths said in a statement: “Some of our stores and other facilities have been impacted as a result of the global IT issue. We thank you for your patience and understanding.”
Broadcasters were also heavily impacted. Radio 2GB was initially thrown off air, then afternoons host Chris O’Keefe was forced to battle on without being able to take calls or broadcast commercials.
Foxtel went completely dark, eventually being restored in the early evening. Technicians scrambled to ensure live sporting events, such as tonight’s NRL match, could get to air.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese assured Australians there was no need to panic.
“I understand Australians are concerned about the outage that is unfolding globally and affecting a wide range of services,” he said.
“My Government is working closely with the National Cyber Security Coordinator. There is no impact to critical infrastructure, government services or Triple-0 services at this stage. The National Coordination Mechanism has been activated and is meeting now.”
Sydney Airport is also impacted.
“A global technical outage has impacted some airline operations and terminal services,” a spokesperson said.
“Flights are currently arriving and departing however there may be some delays throughout the evening.
“We have activated our contingency plans with our airline partners and deployed additional staff to our terminals to assist passengers.
“Anyone travelling today should leave plenty of time to come to the airport and check with their airline regarding the status of their flight.”
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.