Good morning.
Is it too late now to say sorry? By the time CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz posted a message on X about the software “defect” that unleashed global chaos on Friday, his problem was technically solved. The issue had been “identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” he wrote. While the bug hit less than 1% of Windows devices, it grounded more than 6% of the world’s commercial flights. It also halted surgeries, broadcasts, money transfers, 911 call centers, train systems, stores, hotel reservations, mobile apps, and some government services. As of yesterday, many were still scrambling to recover.
Now, Kurtz and CrowdStrike enter a risky period. A cybersecurity company’s software update just wreaked more havoc than any virus it was designed to block. Losses could rise into the billions and customers will at least pause to examine the perils of being too tied to one technology. Hackers are creating new security threats, the stock is down by almost a third, and Kurtz is being called to testify before Congress.
