Lessons Learned From The Biggest IT Outage In History
Greetings, everyone! I’m Ryan Williams Sr., and today we’re diving into an unprecedented event in the world of IT. As the dust settles from what’s being dubbed the largest IT outage in history, it’s time to unpack what happened, why it happened, and most importantly, what we can learn from it.
The Incident
Friday morning, CrowdStrike experienced an unfortunate mishap that reverberated through Microsoft systems, causing widespread disruption. The collaboration between these tech giants is critical; Microsoft builds and maintains the Windows OS, while CrowdStrike provides essential cybersecurity by protecting nodes at the OS level. When CrowdStrike deployed a problematic patch, it triggered a chain reaction leading to the dreaded blue screen of death across countless systems worldwide.
Elizabeth Stephens Weighs In
I was fortunate to have Elizabeth Stephens (she/her/hers), PMP; a cybersecurity and AI specialist, author of “Building a Resilient Digital Future A Comprehensive Guide to Cyber Risk Monitoring”, and CEO of DBS Cyber join us for an urgent discussion on this issue. Elizabeth emphasized that while this event might seem like a cyber-attack, it’s more accurately described as a significant internal failure. “This isn’t a cyber-attack. It’s a self-induced harm,” she stated, highlighting the delicate balance in our reliance on digital infrastructure.
Impact and Implications
The fallout from this incident was immense. From grounded flights to paralyzed hospital systems and stalled retail operations, the breadth of the disruption is a stark reminder of our digital world’s fragility. Elizabeth aptly noted, “It’s not just the FAA or hospitals; daily life was impacted. This shows how interconnected and vulnerable our systems are.”
Preventing Future Failures
So, what’s the path forward? Elizabeth underscored the importance of investing in people, processes, and tools. She argued that focusing solely on technology without equally emphasizing skilled personnel and robust procedures is a recipe for disaster. “Invest in people first, then processes, and only then in tools. AI alone won’t save us if our foundational elements are weak.”
Building Resilience
As we navigate this digital age, the call for resilience is louder than ever. Companies and governments must prioritize redundancy and preparedness. Elizabeth’s upcoming book, “Building a Resilient Digital Future A Comprehensive Guide to Cyber Risk Monitoring”, promises to dive deeper into these themes, offering guidance on creating robust cyber risk monitoring frameworks.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, this incident serves as a wake-up call. It’s a reminder that while technology is a powerful enabler, it’s also a potential single point of failure. As we move forward, let’s focus on building a more resilient digital future, grounded in well-trained people, effective processes, and smart use of technology.
Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more episodes of The Other Side of the Firewall podcast on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Fridays, as well as, the Ask A CISSP podcast every Thursday. Please like, share, and, subscribe.
Stay safe, stay secure!
With over 20 years of experience in the technology sector, Elizabeth Stephens is a senior leader and strategist who specializes in cybersecurity and cloud infrastructure. As the CEO of DBS Cyber, she leads a team of experts who design, build, migrate, and deploy large-scale, complex IT solutions across private, hybrid, and public cloud environments for clients in various industries.
Elizabeth is passionate about global and national security, machine learning, risk intelligence, and artificial intelligence. As a National Security Fellow at the Truman National Security Project, she collaborates with other leaders and experts to advance the understanding and practice of these fields. She is also a former Director of Data Center Cyber Risk Intelligence at Microsoft, where she developed and implemented innovative cyber risk management frameworks and tools. Elizabeth believes in bringing value through redefining success, leveraging strengths, and continuously improving goals, mission, and teams.
Ryan is a retired Air Force veteran who brings over 20 years of experience in network infrastructure, project management, and cybersecurity consulting to his current role at BuddoBot. Buddobot’s mission is to support national security by transforming, empowering, and educating organizations to shift from reactive, diluted, automated, and high-cost IT and security practices to proactive, effective solutions that fortify their security.