SoftwareOperating SystemsIt’s not just Windows PCs that have gone belly up, as CrowdStrike’s Falcon software has been b0rking Linux-powered computers, tooWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
SoftwareOperating SystemsIt’s not just Windows PCs that have gone belly up, as CrowdStrike’s Falcon software has been b0rking Linux-powered computers, tooWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Future)
Considering there were a lot of smug posts going around on Friday from a bunch of folks on their Linux systems, the fact that it’s not just a Windows thing is certainly worth noting.
Abugged update to the programcaused Windows PCs to undergo a stop error, better known as a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death), that just kept on reoccurring with each boot attempt.Microsoft has swung into actionand created arecovery toolto help solve the affected computers andCrowdStrike’s CEO, George Kurtz, was very apologeticabout the whole incident.
Software bugs are so common that anyone using a computer just accepts them as being part and parcel of the modern IT world. But there is a big difference between an application having a few glitches and one that causes the operating system’s kernel to bail out. And given how widely used CrowdStrike’s software is, that difference is even more important.
I’ve never been in the position of having to manage a huge network of computers, providing a mission-critical service, but I have looked after a few small ones in the days when the stability of Windows and its updates wasreallyflaky. For those, I only ever pushed an update onto one test machine, leaving the rest of the network on a previously-tested update, to make sure no change would leave the whole system unusable.
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I should imagine that this is common practice but after seeing the level of impact that the Falcon update had on Friday, it’s perhaps not as common as I think. I’m not suggesting that the problem was, in part, the fault of IT system managers (the finger of blame is firmly pointing at CrowdStrike), but I can’t help but feel that if you’re managing a system that cannot go down for any reason, then you never let an update get rolled out without testing it first.
Whether theCrowdStrike outage goes down as being the worst in historyis yet to be determined but I’m pretty sure about some things, though. CrowdStrike’s market value is going to tank hard and IT managers are going to be very wary about its software in future.
Windows 11 review: What we think of the latest OS.How to install Windows 11: Guide to a secure install.Windows 11 TPM requirement: Strict OS security.
Windows 11 review: What we think of the latest OS.How to install Windows 11: Guide to a secure install.Windows 11 TPM requirement: Strict OS security.
Windows 11 review: What we think of the latest OS.How to install Windows 11: Guide to a secure install.Windows 11 TPM requirement: Strict OS security.
Windows 11 review: What we think of the latest OS.How to install Windows 11: Guide to a secure install.Windows 11 TPM requirement: Strict OS security.
Windows 11 review: What we think of the latest OS.How to install Windows 11: Guide to a secure install.Windows 11 TPM requirement: Strict OS security.
Windows 11 review: What we think of the latest OS.How to install Windows 11: Guide to a secure install.Windows 11 TPM requirement: Strict OS security.
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