CrowdStrike Update Causing Blue Screen of Death and Microsoft 365/Azure Outage

The tech world is currently experiencing major disruptions due to two significant incidents:

1. CrowdStrike Update Issues: The latest update from     CrowdStrike has caused critical problems for many Windows users.
2. Microsoft 365 and Azure Outage: A substantial outage is     affecting Microsoft 365 and Azure services in the Central US region.

CrowdStrike Update Causes BSOD on Windows

• Issue: CrowdStrike's recent update is causing the Blue Screen of Death    (BSOD) on many Windows systems, rendering them unusable.
• Details: The BSOD occurs during system boot, preventing affected computers     from starting correctly. This issue has led to widespread frustration and     operational disruptions.
• Current Status: CrowdStrike has acknowledged     the problem and is working on a fix. Users are advised to avoid installing     the latest update until a resolution is available. For those already     affected, CrowdStrike has provided steps to mitigate the impact, including     booting into safe mode and uninstalling the problematic update. Exercise     caution with manual solutions if unsure.

Microsoft 365 and Azure Outage in Central US

• Issue: A significant outage is impacting Microsoft 365 and azure     services, causing widespread service interruptions.
• Details: The outage began on July 18, 2024, affecting many services,   including email, cloud storage, and various enterprise applications.

Impacted services may include but are not limited to the following:

- PowerBI: Users may notice that their service is in read-only mode while they address impact.

- Microsoft Fabric: Users may notice that their service is in read-only Mode while they address impact.

- Microsoft Teams: Users may be unable to leverage Microsoft Teams functions including presence, group chats, and user registration.

- Microsoft 365 admin center: Admins may be intermittently unable to access the Microsoft 365 admin center and any action may be delayed if accessible.

Recovered Services

- Microsoft Defender

- Microsoft Defender for Endpoint

- Microsoft Defender Experts

- Microsoft Intune

- Microsoft OneNote

- OneDrive for Business

- SharePoint Online

- Windows 365

- Viva Engage

- Microsoft Purview

Current Status:

·       Microsoft is actively investigating and working to restore services.

·       Preliminary reports suggest the issue may be related to network configuration changes.

·       Users should monitor Microsoft's official channels for updates on service restoration and potential workaround solutions.

Recommendations

• Avoid Installing CrowdStrike Update: Users should     avoid the latest CrowdStrike update until a fix is released. Those     affected should follow CrowdStrike's mitigation steps.
• Monitor Microsoft Updates: Users relying on Microsoft 365     and Azure services should stay updated via Microsoft's official channels     for service restoration information and potential workarounds.
• Cyber Safety: These incidents highlight the     importance of availability alongside confidentiality and integrity in     cyber safety.

Stay informed and exercise caution during these disruptions to minimize impact on your operations.

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