Australia has been hit by a major IT outage that has disrupted banks, supermarkets, telecoms, media outlets, and airlines. Australia’s National Cyber Security Coordinator said on Friday.
The outage was linked to a recent software update, which cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike is currently rolling back. Reports flooded social media, with many users encountering “blue screens of death” on their computers.
In Australia, the outage affected major banks, telecommunications companies, and media outlets like the Australia Broadcasting Corporation. The National Cyber Security Coordinator’s office in Australia confirmed that the outage stemmed from a technical issue with a third-party software platform used by the affected companies. Importantly, they noted that there is no evidence to suggest that this incident is related to a cybersecurity breach.
Crowdstrike’s engineering team acknowledged the issue, stating they were aware of the crashes occurring on Windows hosts associated with their Falcon Sensor software. The situation has prompted ongoing communication with key stakeholders to address the technical difficulties and restore normal operations.
Photos posted on social media showed blank flight information screens at Sydney airport and inoperable self-service checkouts at supermarket chains Woolworths and Coles.
Sydney Airport said that flights were arriving and departing but that travelers should expect delays.