Omdia's Maxine Holt shares her insights on the current global #cybersecurity issues, and the possible repercussions. #CrowdStrike
Omdia analyst team latest update on today's tech outages: The global IT outage crisis is escalating, and organizations everywhere are in full scramble mode, desperately implementing workarounds to keep their businesses afloat. Microsoft has pointed fingers at a third-party software update, while CrowdStrike admits to a "defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts" and is working feverishly with affected customers. Omdia analysts connect the dots: this isn't a cyberattack, but it’s unquestionably a cybersecurity disaster. Cybersecurity's role is to protect and ensure uninterrupted business operations. Today, on 19 July 2024, many organizations are failing to operate, proving that even non-malicious cybersecurity failures can bring businesses to their knees. The workaround, involving booting into safe mode, is a nightmare for cloud customers. Cloud-dependent businesses are facing severe disruptions. Omdia’s Cloud and Data Center analysts have long warned about over-reliance on cloud services. Today’s outages will make enterprises rethink moving mission-critical applications off-premises. The ripple effect is massive, hitting CrowdStrike, Microsoft, AWS, Azure, Google, and beyond. CrowdStrike's shares have plummeted by more than 20% in unofficial pre-market trading in the US, translating to a staggering $16 billion loss in value. Looking forward, there’s a shift towards consolidating security tools into integrated platforms. However, as one CISO starkly put it, "Consolidating with fewer vendors means that any issue has a huge operational impact. Businesses must demand rigorous testing and transparency from their vendors." CrowdStrike's testing procedures will undoubtedly be scrutinized in the aftermath. For now, the outages continue to rise, and the tech world watches as the fallout unfolds. Don't forget, you can get our take on security platforms at the Omdia Analyst Summit at Black Hat USA on 6-Aug! Vlad Galabov Roy Illsley Elaine Hutton Rik Turner Jonathan Ong Don Tait Hollie Hennessy Adam Strange