Context
Microsoft outage cause explained
About Microsoft’s Global Outage
- Severity Rating: CERT-In issued a “critical” severity rating.
- Cause: A software update glitch in CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor, an endpoint protection program, caused the Windows OS to crash.
- Result: Users encountered the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), preventing access to devices linked to CrowdStrike’s Falcon platform.
- CrowdStrike is a cybersecurity firm that provides antivirus software for Microsoft Windows devices.
About Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)
- Definition: BSOD is a warning displayed on a blue screen when Windows encounters a critical issue, also known as a “Stop Error.”
- Occurrence: BSOD happens when Windows unexpectedly shuts down or restarts due to critical problems, either hardware or software-related.
- Affected Sectors:
- Airlines
- Hospitals
- Banking and retail services
- Healthcare services
- Stock exchanges
- Other digital services worldwide
Source:
The Hindu
Previous Year Question
The terms ‘WannaCry, Petya and Eternal Blue’ sometimes mentioned in the news, are related to:
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) Exoplanets
(b) Cryptocurrency
(c) Cyber attacks
(d) Mini satellites
Answer: (c)
