People all over the globe woke up last week to find that a routine software update from Texas-based cyber security company CrowdStrike had gone wrong, disrupting major systems at numerous organizations such as airports, governments, financial institutions, hospitals, ports, transportation hubs, and media outlets facing significant operational outages. This update caused Windows-based computers to display the dreaded 'Blue Screen of Death' in what many people call one of the largest IT outages in history. So how did this happen? What are companies doing to get up and running and how can you avoid this from happening to your tech devices? Let's discuss.
So who is Crowdstrike? CrowdStrike cybersecurity company rose to prominence with the investigations of several high-profile cyberattacks against Sony Pictures and the Democratic National Committee. They have customers across the planet and they create software which is designed is to protect computers, laptops, and networks from hackers and cyber attacks. Macintosh and Linux computers were not affected as well as Windows computers using another form of anti-virus protection.
What caused the global outage? A security update was pushed by Crowdstrike that caused Windows-based computers to go into a Blue Screen of Death reboot loop which rendered many computers across the globe useless. Here are some of the industries that were affected:
Airlines
Banking and financial services
Health care
Media and broadcasting
An outage of this magnitude is a reminder of just how vulnerable we are to system failures and one of the reasons why the US government banned the installation of Kaspersky Anti-Virus on government computers and banned the sales of Kaspersky in the country. This incident wasn't a cyber attack, but can you imagine if this was a cyber attack from Russia?
How you can protect your home or business from a situation similar to the Crowdstrike outage? In today's digital world, a cyber attack isn't the only thing that can cause you to be locked out of your devices. It doesn't matter if you own Windows, Apple or Android devices, you need to always be prepared for tech failures that can bring your digital world to a standstill. I know many of you reading this don't have an IT department in the building to help you out, it can be difficult to know how to keep things running smoothly whenever you run into tech problems. Follow these tips.
Have a Disaster Plan in Place. What are you going to do if disaster strikes? What happens if you devices go down? How about if you rely on the Internet for your home or business? TO always stay up and running with your devices, have a backup device. For example, I have a Windows and a Macintosh laptop. If one goes down, I can rely on the other. I keep files stored in the cloud which allows me to access documents from any device anywhere in the world. If my Internet goes out, I can rely on my smartphone mobile hotspot. Take a moment to plan out your steps to help you stay connected and productive.
Backup. Backup. Backup. Folks, I've been doing this for over 30 years and I can't tell you how many times we've been called out to save home and business users because they failed to back up their information. On every device you own, you should backup information to the cloud. Why? Well, no backup means you lose everything forever. With many devices using Solid State Drive technology, the chances of recovering information from these devices is slim to none. Also, cloud backup means your information is stored on multiple computers around the world. If one of these servers fails, there are several more that will take its place.
Use Programs that Can Work On Your Computer and Your SmartPhone. To help keep your office and household up and running it's best for you not to be confined to one space or device, it’s a good idea to use apps that can work on both mobile devices and computers. These include email apps, productivity apps, and anything that will only work on one device. By using a combination of desktop apps and mobile apps you can stay productive if any problems arise with your main device.
Learn to work old school. Do you have a "sneaker net" in your office? Can you work without tech devices to stay up and running if your technology or Internet fails? Make sure you're implementing a system that doesn't require to you to be online to function. In today's digital age, it's not a bad idea to keep physical copies of important documents.
How good is tech support for the software and devices you own? Even though Crowdstrike issued a bad update, their response time was pretty good for helping their customers work through their issues. If you run into issues, do you have a reliable IT person who can help? . Did you know most hardware technology devices come with a one-year warranty? If your device is under warranty, you can call the manufacturer. That software you've invested in, how responsive will tech support be when you have issues? If you rely heavily on email, can you get help if you need it?
Build your Human Firewall. Cybercrime is a human problem and one of the major threats to homes and businesses is cyber attacks. All of your devices are safe from cyber attacks, but if you click on a malicious link or share personal data, you're hacked. Do the following to keep safe.
Use a password manager to store and generate random passwords.
Avoid using third-party anti-virus software. Windows and Macintosh computers have built-in solutions to keep you safe
Use passphrases and biometric protection to keep devices secure
Combatting data security issues through encrypting hard drives
Not using public computers
Hopefully, this will give you tips to help you reduce your downtime in the event you have a technology crisis. If you have any questions, please reach out. I'm always available.
Looking for More Useful Tech Tips? Our Tuesday Tech Tips Blog is released every Tuesday. If you like video tips, we LIVE STREAM new episodes of 'Computer and Tech Tips for Non-Tech People' every Wednesday at 1:00 pm CST on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Technology product reviews are posted every Thursday. You can view previous episodes on our YouTube channel.
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Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone.
Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829.
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Looking for More Useful Tips Tips?
My Tuesday Tech Tips Blog is released every Tuesday. If you like video tips, I LIVE STREAM new episodes of 'Computer and Tech Tips for Non-Tech People' every Wednesday at 1:00 pm CST on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Technology product reviews are posted every Thursday. You can view previous episodes on my YouTube channel.
Sign Up for My Newsletter! Click this link to sign-up and subscribe and you will receive every tip directly in your inbox each week.
Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@burtonkelso.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone.
Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829.
Please share this with your friends and family! If you found this post useful, would you mind helping me out by sharing it? Just click one of the handy social media sharing buttons below.
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