Users worldwide are unable to access some Microsoft apps and services in a widespread outage beginning this morning, and that includes in central and northern New York.
Airlines, DMVs and local government agencies are just some of the organizations being impacted. At Syracuse's Hancock Airport, many flights are delayed due to the outage.
❗️ALERT: Worldwide IT Outage
— Syracuse Airport (@SyracuseAirport) July 19, 2024
Due to a global IT outage, some Airlines are experiencing delays or cancellations. Passengers are advised to check with their respective airlines for updates and further information.
Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse has delayed all procedures this morning, the Cayuga County Health Department is unable to take phone calls, and DMV offices are unable to process transactions.
The issue arose following a faulty routine update from the security software company, CrowdStrike. In a statement on their website, CrowdStrike said they are working to resolve the issue.
"CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts," the statement read. "Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed."
New York State's Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern released a statement assuring the issue was being investigated and handled statewide.
“We are working with our agencies, local governments, and the third-party service provider to resolve any issues on impacted systems," Ahern said. "Our priority is to ensure all 911 systems across New York are operational and able to address emergency response needs. The third party has identified a fix for the underlying issue and the New York State Office of Information Technology Services is actively working with other state agencies on a resolution. We do not yet have a timeline for full restoration."
Many central New York DMV offices and human service offices have been impacted and are unable to fulfill appointments or process applications and paperwork.
At Syracuse's City Hall, Mayor Ben Walsh said it was a busy morning, as IT staff members ran around fixing computers.
"It does appear to be limited impact at this point," said Walsh. "But it did cause some problems early today just in terms of being able to access our email and other services."
Rep. Brandon Williams (R-22nd District) has a personal connection to the outage. He said his son's weekend trip was canceled due to a grounded flight.
The congressman, who has a professional background in the tech sector, said while this outage seems to be caused by a faulty update, cyber security is something everyone should keep in mind.
"For our nuclear powerplants, for our pipelines, for our telecommunications infrastructure, our 911 call centers, all of these things now are exposed to the internet, and that makes it incredibly difficult to monitor," said Williams.
Williams said if the House Committee on Energy and Commerce conducts an investigation into the outage, he will offer his expertise.
