CrowdStrike vs. Delta: Who’s to Blame for the Global Tech Outage?
A heated legal battle has erupted between cybersecurity giant CrowdStrike and Delta Air Lines over a recent global technology outage that caused major disruptions worldwide. The outage, which many initially attributed solely to a flawed software update from CrowdStrike, left Delta struggling to recover, resulting in the cancellation of about 5,000 flights, roughly 37% of its schedule, over four days. Crowdstrike vs. Delta: Who’s to blame for the global tech outage?
Delta Points Fingers, CrowdStrike Pushes Back
Delta’s chief executive, Ed Bastian, estimated that the outage cost the airline $500 million, covering expenses like compensation and hotel stays for affected passengers. Delta has since hired Boies Schiller Flexner, a prominent law firm, to pursue legal claims against CrowdStrike.
In a letter to Delta, CrowdStrike’s lawyers from Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan pushed back against the airline’s claims. They emphasized that while the software update did cause disruptions, many other businesses, including several airlines, managed to recover within a day or two. Delta, on the other hand, faced prolonged issues, with about 75% of its remaining flights delayed.
Breakdown in Communication
CrowdStrike apologized for the inconvenience caused and highlighted their efforts to assist Delta’s information security team during the outage. They noted that their CEO had offered on-site help to mitigate the damage, but Delta did not respond to or accept the offer. CrowdStrike’s letter also questioned why Delta’s recovery lagged behind other airlines and suggested that any liability should be limited to under $10 million.
Investigation and Expert Opinions
The U.S. Department of Transportation has launched an investigation into the incident, with Secretary Pete Buttigieg pointing out that Delta might have been particularly vulnerable due to its reliance on affected software and its overloaded crew scheduling system.
Other major carriers like American and United Airlines managed to rebound more quickly. Aviation experts suggest that Delta’s strategy of leaning heavily on cancellations rather than delays, coupled with the intense activity at its main hub in Atlanta, contributed to its extended recovery time.
Learning from the Past
The situation echoes Southwest Airlines’ ordeal in 2022 when severe winter storms caused massive disruptions. Southwest struggled due to insufficient equipment and an overwhelmed crew scheduling system, ultimately canceling nearly 17,000 flights over ten days.
Conclusion
As the investigation unfolds and legal actions progress, it remains clear that proactive measures and robust IT infrastructure are crucial for managing such crises. At Protected Harbor, we pride ourselves on delivering unmatched uptime and proactive monitoring to prevent and swiftly address any issues. Our commitment to excellence ensures that our clients enjoy seamless operations, well above industry standards.
For more insights on tech outages and proactive IT solutions, check out our previous blog on the Microsoft CrowdStrike outage.
