IT outage: What we know about the global tech meltdown, CloudStrike and Microsoft so far
A mass IT outage has affected business, airlines, banks and hospitals around the world.
The outage, which spread widely on Friday morning, is believed to be related to Microsoft and global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
CrowdStrike's boss said on X there had been a defective software update for Microsoft Windows hosts and a fix was deployed.
Microsoft also said a resolution for Windows devices affected by the outage was "forthcoming".
Follow live: Major services affected by outage globally
Here is a rundown of how the outage spread, and what we know about it so far.
CrowdStrike boss points to 'defect'
At 10.45am (UK time) on Friday, the CrowdStrike chief executive issued a statement saying a "defect" was found in "a single content update for Windows hosts".
George Kurtz added "this is not a security incident or cyber attack" and said the "issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed".
Issues still persisted however, and customers said the problems came after an update to the code of its Falcon Sensor software.
The sensor "blocks attacks on your systems while capturing and recording activity as it happens to detect threats fast", according to the cyber security firm's website.
Users reported that their Windows PCs crashed to the "blue screen of death" after the software update.
First reports from Australia
The first reports of IT issues came overnight from Australia, when a spokesperson for the country's home affairs minister Clare O'Neil said the outage appeared to be related to an issue at CrowdStrike.
On X, the office of the national cyber security coordinator Michelle McGuinness described it as a "large-scale technical outage," but said there was no indication it was a cyber security incident.
Australian firms were also the first to report a variety of issues. Supermarket chain Woolworths said its payment systems went down, while the National Australia Bank was also affected.
Airlines Virgin Australia and Jetstar were forced to delay or cancel flights, as information screens went blank at Sydney Airport.
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What has been impacted and where?
COBRA meetings held over IT outages
Outages spread across globe
A spike in outages was then recorded across a number of websites and services just before 6am in the UK, according to internet tracking website Downdetector.
NHS England said in a statement at 10.20am the outage was "causing disruption in the majority of GP practices" as bookings could not be recorded using the service's EMIS computer system.
It added there was no known impact on 999 calls or emergency services.
Airlines and airports in the UK, US, India and elsewhere also faced severe delays over the issue.
Ryanair advised passengers to arrive for their flights at least three hours early over the disruption, while Edinburgh Airport said the outage meant waiting times were longer than usual.
Major US airlines including American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines grounded flights, while airports in Germany, Amsterdam and Spain reported issues.
Major train operators TransPennine Express and Govia Thameslink Railway - which operates the Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern brands - were also disrupted in the UK, and people at the Port of Dover were told to expect longer waiting times.
