CrowdStrike

On July 19, 2024, CrowdStrike released a faulty update to its Falcon Sensor security product that crashed 8.5 million Windows computers globally - the largest IT outage in history. The update contained a logic error causing out-of-bounds memory reads. Airlines cancelled 5,078 flights (Delta alone lost $500M), hospitals and emergency services were disrupted, and banks went offline. Former employees reported company prioritized 'speed over quality' with inadequate testing. Global economic damage exceeded $10 billion. CEO George Kurtz declined to testify before Congress.