Canada: A global technology outage caused by a faulty update from cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike disrupted major services in Canada on Friday. The update affected computers running Microsoft Windows, leading to widespread issues with Microsoft 365 apps and services. Major companies, including Porter Airlines and TELUS, reported operational disruptions, while hospitals in Newfoundland and Labrador and Ontario experienced IT system failures.
Flights were grounded, particularly affecting Porter Airlines, which canceled most of its flights. Major airports, including Toronto Pearson, saw significant delays and cancellations. Government services, including border crossings and health systems, also faced disruptions.
CrowdStrike confirmed the issue was not a cyberattack but a defect in a single content update. Microsoft stated it was rerouting traffic to mitigate the impact, and services were gradually being restored. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of global systems reliant on a few key technology providers.