A faulty update from the U.S.-based cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike caused a massive outage for Microsoft Windows-based desktops and laptops around the world on Friday.

Massive Microsoft outage hits flights, banks, stock exchanges, broadcasters

The issue is related to CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor, a software designed to prevent computer systems from cyber-attacks, which broke PCs running Windows, causing them to crash and display the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) error message. Users around the world have been unable to reboot and are stuck in a recovery loop.

This widespread outage has affected banks, airlines, hospitals, media companies, IT institutes, TV broadcasters, supermarkets, and many other businesses worldwide.

CrowdStrike has acknowledged the problem and identified the update affecting its Falcon Sensor product. It has since rolled back the changes and released fixes to address the crashes. However, some Windows hosts continue to encounter the BSOD error message related to the Falcon sensor, leading to unexpected computer shutdowns or restarts.

“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 is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed,” George Kurtz, President and CEO of CrowdStrike, said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers,” he added.

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 IS NOT A SECURITY INCIDENT OR CYBERATTACK. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED, ISOLATED AND A FIX HAS BEEN DEPLOYED. WE…

— GEORGE KURTZ (@GEORGE_KURTZ) JULY 19, 2024

Further, CrowdStrike has provided a workaround for affected Windows users to resolve the issue:

* Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment

* Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory

* Locate the file matching “C-00000291*.sys”, and delete it.

* Boot the host normally.

Meanwhile, Microsoft said it is aware of the issue affecting Windows desktops and laptops caused by a recent update to CrowdStrike Falcon Sensor software.

“We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming. We’re aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform,” a spokesperson said.

 Microsoft-backed OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGPT, has announced the prototype of its AI-powered search engine, SearchGPT. The search engine aims to offer quick and timely answers online with clear and relevant sources.

OpenAl enters Google-dominated search market with SearchGPT

“We’re testing SearchGPT, a prototype of new search features designed to combine the strength of our AI models with information from the web to give you fast and timely answers with clear and relevant sources,” OpenAI wrote in an official blog post on Thursday.

“Getting answers on the web can take a lot of effort, often requiring multiple attempts to get relevant results. We believe that by enhancing the conversational capabilities of our models with real-time information from the web, finding what you’re looking for can be faster and easier.”

Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 architecture, SearchGPT will use a conversational format to quickly and directly reply to users’ questions by providing summarized, up-to-date information from the web with clear links to relevant sources in response.

As the conversation progresses, users will also be able to ask follow-up questions in SearchGPT, similar to how you would converse with a person, with the shared context building with each query to improve its answers, the blog post explains.

OpenAI further added that it has partnered with publishers and will give them access to tools for managing how their answers appear in SearchGPT results so that they have more choices. Currently, OpenAI is working with several news organizations, including The Atlantic and News Corp., to build its search results database.

“SearchGPT is designed to help users connect with publishers by prominently citing and linking to them in searches. Responses have clear, in-line, named attribution and links so users know where information is coming from and can quickly engage with even more results in a sidebar with source links,” OpenAI added.

The AI company behind ChatGPT also says that its SearchGPT model is separate from how the company trains its OpenAI’s generative AI foundation models and that even if publishers opt out of generative AI training, their sites will still appear in the SearchGPT results.

“AI search is going to become one of the key ways that people navigate the internet, and it’s crucial, in these early days, that the technology is built in a way that values, respects, and protects journalism and publishers. We look forward to partnering with OpenAI in the process, and creating a new way for readers to discover The Atlantic,” Nicholas Thompson, CEO of The Atlantic, said in the OpenAI blog post.

Currently, OpenAI has made the SearchGPT model available to a small group of users and publishers. It plans to get their feedback on the temporary prototype and hopes to integrate the best of SearchGPT features directly into ChatGPT in the near future. Users interested in trying the search engine prototype can sign up for OpenAI’s waitlist here.

 WhatsApp, the popular Meta-owned instant messaging platform, is working on a new file-sharing service like Apple’s AirDrop for iOS devices. According to a report from WABetaInfo, this service lets you share files with people nearby without needing an Internet connection.

WhatsApp is working on a new file-sharing service like Apple’s AirDrop

WABetaInfo, a well-known WhatsApp tipster publication, discovered the new feature in the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS 24.15.10.70 update, which is available on the TestFlight app. This feature, called Nearby Share, was previously tested in WhatsApp beta for Android 2.24.2.20 update in January 2024 for Android devices.

With this upcoming feature, users will be able to share documents, photos, videos, and other files directly with nearby devices that have a WhatsApp account without having to rely on an Internet connection. However, this feature will require scanning a QR code with the receiving device to initiate file sharing instead of using the nearby detection method used by WhatsApp for Android to automatically connect nearby devices.

“Sharing files with people nearby without relying on an Internet connection significantly will enhance the file transfer experience. This method is particularly advantageous for large files such as high-resolution photos, videos, and documents, especially in areas with limited or unstable network coverage, where people might be unable to use WhatsApp,” the WABetaInfo report said.

“This feature will also work across different platforms, including Android and iOS, regardless of the type of device users or their contacts are using. In addition, this is compatible with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the intended recipients can access the content.”

Further, Nearby Share will use an end-to-end encrypted connection to transfer files wirelessly. Additionally, this feature is expected to work between iOS and Android devices, making sharing files between different phone platforms easier.

Currently, the new file-sharing feature for iOS is in the early stage of development and is available only for internal testing. It will be added to the instant messaging app in a future update. There has yet to be an official information when this feature will be available to the public.