- The recent CrowdStrike update for Windows 10 has led to massive outages across various sectors, including airports, companies, banks, and government offices globally.
- Interestingly, China experienced minimal disruption compared to other regions.
- The Microsoft-CrowdStrike glitch in the global tech matrix has intensified the debate on the need to break free from the grip of global tech giants and foster homegrown tech companies.
- This outage serves as a crucial reminder of the potential for future cyber pandemics and the far-reaching implications of tech disruptions.
The Microsoft-CrowdStrike global outage sent shivers down the spines of worldwide tech-reliant systems and societies. This incident has underscored the vulnerabilities within our interconnected digital infrastructure and has sparked discussions on the importance of homegrown tech companies. Surprisingly, China emerged with minimal impact, highlighting its strategic emphasis on self-reliance. This outage serves as a crucial reminder of the potential for future cyber pandemics and the far-reaching implications of tech disruptions.
The Outage and Its Impact
CrowdStrike and Microsoft are critical players in the cybersecurity and software sectors, respectively. The recent CrowdStrike update for Windows 10 has led to massive outages across various sectors, including airports, companies, banks, and government offices globally. The update caused PCs to get stuck on the recovery screen, with users receiving a message stating, “It looks like Windows didn’t load correctly. If you’d like to restart and try again, choose Restart my PC below.” This disruption has been widespread, affecting critical infrastructure and services.
CrowdStrike acknowledged the issue on their support page, linking the crashes to problems with their Falcon sensor. They reported that symptoms include hosts experiencing a bug check or blue screen error related to the Falcon sensor. Despite the ongoing efforts of their engineering teams to resolve the issue, the outages have caused significant operational challenges for affected users.
Social media has been flooded with images and reports of screens stuck on the recovery page, highlighting the global nature of the issue. One user on X (formerly Twitter) shared, “Something super weird happening right now: just been called by several different media outlets in the last few minutes, all with Windows machines suddenly BSoD’ing (Blue Screen of Death). Anyone else seen this?” This sentiment echoes the experiences of many users facing similar issues worldwide.
Furthermore, the outage has impacted essential services, with reports of 911 services in the US and airport operations in Mumbai and Delhi being affected. The widespread nature of the problem underscores the critical dependence on these tech giants and the far-reaching implications of such outages.
China Escapes With Minimal Impact
Interestingly, China experienced minimal disruption compared to other regions. This resilience can be attributed to China’s strategic focus on developing homegrown technology solutions and reducing dependence on foreign tech companies. China’s self-reliance campaign has been particularly crucial amid unrelenting US sanctions. For example, in Beijing’s Tongming Lake IT City, several prominent Chinese firms, such as Loongson Technology and UnioTech Software, are leading efforts to become self-sufficient in core technology.
The country’s drive to phase out foreign systems in military and state organs has gained momentum with the state-led Xinchuang campaign, aiming to develop local alternatives to foreign chips, systems, databases, and software. Despite challenges, such as lagging in semiconductor manufacturing technology, China is making steady progress in reducing its reliance on foreign tech.
Impact on India
In India, the outage affected IndiGo, Akasa Airlines, and SpiceJet Airlines. Indian stock market traders faced technical glitches reported at many brokerages. Brokerage firms 5paisa and IIFL Securities informed clients that their systems were impacted by the Microsoft tech glitch. A spokesperson for Nuvama stated, “We have witnessed a limited impact, as our networks are built to minimize the effects of such outages on our ecosystem. We have deployed a software patch in our back office and settlement functions and reported the same to the exchanges.” No airlines reported complete shutdowns, although ground operations were affected, and check-ins were done manually at most airports.
The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) on Friday issued an advisory after systems at several global and Indian airlines, banks and other institutions faced sharp disruptions owing to the outage. The National Informatics Centre (NIC) that handles the government sites has not been affected.
Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Minister for Electronics and Information Technology, Information and Broadcasting, Government of India in his X (formerly Twitter) post reiterated – “MEITY is in touch with Microsoft and its associates regarding the global outage. The reason for this outage has been identified and updates have been released to resolve the issue. CERT is issuing a technical advisory. NIC network is not affected.”
The Importance of Homegrown Tech Companies
The outage has highlighted the importance of having robust homegrown tech companies. Nations with strong domestic tech ecosystems are better positioned to mitigate the impacts of global tech disruptions. Homegrown companies provide more control over critical infrastructure, reduce dependence on foreign entities, and enhance national security. Additionally, they foster innovation, create jobs, and contribute to the economy.
The Microsoft-CrowdStrike glitch in the global tech matrix has intensified the debate on the need to break free from the grip of global tech giants and foster homegrown tech companies. Here’s why this is crucial:
- Reduced Vulnerability: A diverse tech ecosystem creates redundancy. If one company falters, others can pick up the slack, minimizing downtime and mitigating the impact of outages.
- Innovation Spark: Homegrown companies often tackle local challenges with fresh perspectives, fostering innovation that benefits the nation and potentially pushes the entire tech sector forward.
- Data Sovereignty: Reliance on foreign tech can raise concerns about data privacy and security. Domestic companies can offer solutions that adhere to local regulations and keep data within national borders.
- Economic Growth: A thriving domestic tech industry creates jobs, fuels economic growth, and fosters a culture of entrepreneurship.
Governments and businesses must take concrete steps to empower homegrown tech:
- Funding Initiatives: Invest in research and development grants, incubators, and venture capital firms specifically focused on fostering domestic tech innovation.
- Government Procurement: Prioritize awarding contracts to domestic companies for government projects, stimulating growth and encouraging innovation.
- Skilling the Workforce: Develop educational programs that equip the workforce with the latest tech skills needed to fuel the domestic tech sector.
It is essential to recognise the need to move beyond the blind reliance on supertech giants and cultivate a robust ecosystem of homegrown tech companies. By doing so, a more resilient global tech infrastructure can be built, one less susceptible to the crippling effects of future outages and better prepared to face the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Recently, ride-hailing company Ola Cabs has entirely shifted to its in-house online maps, Ola Maps. The co-founder, Bhavish Aggarwal, announced in his X post, “After exiting Azure last month, we’ve now fully exited Google Maps. We used to spend ₹100 crore a year, but we’ve reduced that to zero this month by moving completely to our in-house Ola Maps! Check your Ola app and update if needed. Also, Ola Maps API is available on @Krutrim cloud! Many more features are coming soon – street view, NERFs, indoor images, 3D maps, drone maps, etc.!”
In a move that may not be directly related but is significant nonetheless, the tech giant Google has introduced India-specific pricing for developers using the Google Maps platform, with up to 70% lower costs on most APIs. Additionally, Google announced its collaboration with the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), offering developers building for ONDC up to 90% off on select Google Maps Platform APIs.
Responding to Google’s “belated” price cuts, Aggarwal announced a more aggressive price cut for Ola Maps. “It’s time we build world-class alternatives to big tech giants and empower Indian innovation! I’m very excited to announce a further reduced pricing structure and our future product roadmap for Ola Maps @Krutrim.” This kind of push for homegrown tech companies must be the ‘way forward’ for domestic entrepreneurs. Another significant name along these lines is Zoho.
Hopefully, the central government’s PLIs and other incentives to make this happen will further incentivise the motivated youth in this regard.
The Potential of a Future Cyber Pandemic
Geopolitical instability is exacerbating the risk of catastrophic cyberattacks, according to the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2023 report, which was launched at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023 in Davos. Over 93% of cybersecurity experts and 86% of business leaders believe “a far-reaching, catastrophic cyber event is likely in the next two years” and there is a critical skills gap that is threatening societies and key infrastructure.
According to the report, ‘Adoption of connected devices during the pandemic led to a dramatic increase in cyberattacks.’ If left unchecked, the cost of cyberattacks will continue to rise, threatening a fragile global economy. The report, The State of the Connected World 2023 edition, a collaboration of the World Economic Forum with the Council on the Connected World, says the immediate threats can be mitigated through robust security protocols and governance through public-private cooperation.
Ironically, CrowdStrike, in its CrowdStrike 2024 Global Threat Report, analyzed at length the vulnerability of the world to external adversaries, the role of extra-state players, and Big-Game Hunting. It stated that geopolitical conflicts would lead to higher cyber threats in the future. The report also recommended CrowdStrike products to resist such threats.
As the world becomes more digitized, the potential for future cyber pandemics looms large. Nations must strengthen their tech ecosystems, invest in cybersecurity, and prepare for the challenges ahead to mitigate the risks of global tech disruptions. The outage may have been a software glitch, but it serves as a stark reminder of the potential consequences of over-dependence on a handful of Supertech companies. The time to act is now, before a true cyber pandemic strikes, leaving the world scrambling in the digital dark.
References:
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cp4wnrxqlewo
- https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/microsoft-windows-outage-crowdstrike-spicejet-indigo-akasa-air-blue-screen-of-death-error-full-list-of-services-hit-in-india-6139361
- https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3258905/tech-war-china-pushes-forward-self-reliance-campaign-amid-unrelenting-us-sanctions
Parag Gilada 
Balaji Subramanian 
Avinash Krishna