KUALA LUMPUR – Following the recent global internet services outage caused by a CrowdStrike software update, it has emerged that the company’s CEO, George Kurtz, was previously involved in another significant technical disruption.
Multiple news sources have linked Kurtz to a 2010 incident that led to a worldwide shutdown of Windows XP computers. This earlier disruption was due to a defective update from antivirus company McAfee, known as Dat file version 5958.
According to the Sans Internet Storm Centre, an internet monitoring firm, the faulty update forced Windows XP PCs into a continuous reboot cycle, resulting in a complete loss of network access.
At the time of the McAfee incident, Kurtz served as the company’s chief technical officer, having that role from 2009 to 2011.
On his LinkedIn profile, Kurtz stated that his role involved driving integrated security architectures and platforms for McAfee.
Yesterday, a CrowdStrike update for Windows’ host systems caused widespread service disruptions, affecting transportation services, banks, and media broadcasting globally, among other key sectors.
In Malaysia, several airlines had to manually check in passengers at klia2, leading to long queues. Additionally, some users reported encountering the “blue screen of death,” a well-known error message on Windows systems.
Unlike the 2010 incident, this recent outage only impacted enterprises, as the software is not designed for individual users.
In response to the latest incident, Kurtz, as CrowdStrike’s CEO, sought to reassure the public by confirming that the outage was not the result of a cyberattack. He also stated that CrowdStrike is actively assisting customers in restoring their systems. – July 20, 2024