A faulty software update by a cybersecurity company set off a global tech panic Friday, as thousands of flights were cancelled or delayed and service was interrupted to a variety of businesses, government offices and health care facilities.
It appears there were no reports of any major disruption to the American trucking industry as the result of an update to Microsoft Windows 365 software by CrowdStrike, an Austin, Texas-based cybersecurity company. However, some individual truckers complained about how the outage caused problems for them.
In a statement today, CrowdStrike made it clear the outage was an error and not the result of anything nefarious.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said in a statement on the company website, "CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This was not a cyberattack.
"We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption. We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on.
"We assure our customers that CrowdStrike is operating normally and this issue does not affect our Falcon platform systems. If your systems are operating normally, there is no impact to their protection if the Falcon Sensor is installed."
At least one major trucking company felt the impact caused by the global outage. Richmond, Virginia-based TForce Freight posted this to its website:
"A global IT outage has impacted TForce and others, potentially resulting in service disruptions of shipments within our network. However, we're continuing to operate and are available for your pickups today. Be sure to check back through the day for possible updates. TForce Freight is monitoring conditions in affected areas and adjusting its operations, accordingly. As we make every effort to move shipments to their final destinations as quickly and safely as possible ..."
Followers on the Truckers News Facebook page recounted their issues:
Bugsby Johnson "I'm at a pet food facility in California to unload a tanker and system issues has held me up badly and still is at the moment."
Daniel Miller "Couldn't shower, no food ... diner closed, only cash at store, had to call to get parking ... app was not working ... on hold for 15 minutes. TA Greenland, NH"
Coble’s Cross Country Pet Transport : All the Pilots in California were disrupted found that out yesterday tried to get fuel."
"Clifford Madosh: "My Loves mobile pay app wasn’t working this morning."
Daniel Ragusa: "Union Pacific global 4 in Joliet, crane services and gate services we down all morning."
Dixie Genson: "I know a driver, couldn't make a purchase for semi headlight this morning.
Truckers News checked in with the major truck stop operators, trucking organizations and individual drivers to see if they had any issues.
"Love’s is not currently seeing an impact to customers at our stores related to the global outage overnight," said Lauren Daniels of the company's media relations department."
David Heller, senior vice president for safety and government affairs at the Truckload Carriers Association, said he had not heard of any issues from the organization's members.
A spokesman for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach told the Associated Press the tech issues cause no significant problems.
