Anglia Ruskin University expert reacts to global IT outage
Dr. Erika Sanchez has lent her insights into the massive disruption and it's implications
Dr. Erika Sanchez, deputy head of the School of Computing and Information Science at Anglia Ruskin University, has provided a detailed analysis of the global IT outage that has caused widespread disruption across various sectors.
The incident, linked to a flawed software update by CrowdStrike, has led to significant operational issues worldwide.
Dr. Sanchez clarified that the outage was not a result of a cyber attack but rather an error in the software update. "The update released by CrowdStrike contained a bug that led to systems going down, displaying the 'blue screen of death', and getting stuck in reboot loops," she explained. "This failure in testing meant that many systems, including those used by critical services, were affected."
The outage has had a profound impact on numerous sectors. In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) reported disruptions in GP practices across England. The EMIS Web system, used for booking appointments and accessing patient records, was rendered inoperable. Although emergency services remained functional, the outage still caused significant delays and inconveniences.
Community pharmacies also faced challenges, with the National Pharmacy Association reporting interruptions in accessing prescriptions and delivering medicines. Additionally, Sky News experienced a brief broadcast interruption, and major train companies, including Govia Thameslink Railway, warned passengers of delays. Airlines, including Ryanair, faced cancellations and advised affected passengers to leave the airport due to the IT issues.
Dr. Sanchez highlighted the scale of the problem, noting that the outage was comparable to major cyber incidents in its impact. "The scale of this disruption demonstrates how integral IT systems are to daily operations across sectors," she said. "Although this was not a deliberate attack, it has nonetheless caused significant operational problems."
Discussing the broader implications, Dr. Sanchez emphasised the need for rigorous testing and contingency planning. "This incident underscores the importance of having comprehensive testing procedures and disaster recovery plans in place. Organisations must be prepared for such outages to mitigate their impact," she stated.
Dr. Sanchez also addressed the potential for future occurrences. "While such large-scale disruptions are relatively rare, they reveal vulnerabilities in our digital infrastructure. Companies, particularly those in cybersecurity, need to enhance their testing and recovery processes to prevent similar issues," she advised.