Due to CrowdStrike antivirus software, Windows computers all over the world have almost gone down. In the IT crisis, airlines, banking applications, stock exchanges, e-commerce sites, media organizations, websites and IT companies were hit hard. Flights were canceled.
Transportation, banking, payment devices, airport check-in systems, supermarket cashier operating systems, gas station pumps and many other areas received error warnings in systems, while computer screens turned blue. The technical problem in CrowdStrike systems, which provides cybersecurity software to Microsoft, continued until yesterday evening. The first disruptions emerged in the US late on Thursday and were blamed on disruptions in Microsoft services, including Azure and 365. Microsoft announced that the underlying problem causing the technical disruption was resolved yesterday afternoon. CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz argued that the global communication outage was not a security incident or a cyberattack, and said, “The problem has been identified and isolated, and a fix has been identified.”
SALES PRESSURE INCREASED
Analysts emphasized that selling pressure has increased in global markets following the global communications outage caused by CrowdStrike. Analysts estimate that the cost of the crisis to world economies is difficult to calculate, but the bill will be in the billions of dollars. THY has experienced problems with ticketing, check-in and reservation processes due to global technical glitches and has canceled 84 flights.
INVESTIGATION IS BEING DONE
The Information Technologies and Communication Authority stated that an investigation was carried out regarding the global outage experienced in Windows-based devices and made a statement, “We continue to work 24/7 with our domestic and national products to protect our country’s cyber borders.”
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu also stated that some institutions in Turkey were also affected by the problem affecting the whole world and said, “We immediately contacted the relevant institutions. I can say that we have overcome a significant part of the disruption in some of our institutions.”
‘THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF CYBER ATTACK’
In order to avoid such major digital disruptions, institutions should test updates more rigorously. In addition, it is necessary to prevent monopolization in digital server and data security. Rahmi Aktepe, President of the Turkish Informatics Association, said, “The first precaution that needs to be taken is to go for product differentiation. We should increase the use of domestic products. Institutions should be ready for crisis scenarios.”
Technology expert Füsun Sarp Nebil said, “Monopoly is bad. It was a dark day for the world’s data processors. The cost of this business is incalculable. Software developers do not take responsibility for the licenses they sell. The cost will be passed on to users. Statements say there is no cyber attack, but last week, a US hacker group announced that it was waiting for the right moment to ‘deliver a devastating blow’ to the US’s critical infrastructure.”
Information technology expert Gökhan Say also said, “Normally, when such software updates are made, great care is taken. Tests are carried out for days and the update is tested many times, a hacker attack may have been carried out.”
Source: www.cumhuriyet.com.tr
