Businesses worldwide are working to get their logistics operations back on track today after a global computer crash brought freight and shipping flows to a sudden halt on Friday, hitting the air cargo sector particularly hard.
Triggered by a faulty software patch from the Texas cybersecurity vendor Crowdstrike that instantly shuttered Microsoft Windows-based systems around the globe, the stoppage affected 8.5 million computers and devices, according to Microsoft.
The result has led to the largest global IT outage in history, according to a report from supply chain visibility provider Project44. Those complications have largely been resolved already at seaports, trucking, and rail companies, but they caused havoc at airports, which could create “significant ripple effects” on global supply chains.
“While most applications were quickly restored following a fix from CrowdStrike and subsequent system reboots, the recovery for airlines is expected to be slower. Thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled, and airlines face a challenging task of rescheduling and managing cargo backlog,” Project44 said.
The impact on the air cargo industry is also creating delays in last-mile deliveries, which rely heavily on air freight due to the demand for rapid deliveries. That impact could be exacerbated by the timing of the incident, which happened during a summer peak in e-commerce activity, featuring back-to-school sales, Amazon Prime Day, Bed Bath & Beyond flash sales, the Best Buy Outlet Event, and Target Circle deals, the report said.
In a statement, Microsoft said it recognized the disruption the problem had caused for the daily routines of businesses and individuals, and said it had been working around the clock to remediate the impacts.
“This incident demonstrates the interconnected nature of our broad ecosystem — global cloud providers, software platforms, security vendors and other software vendors, and customers,” Microsoft said. “It’s also a reminder of how important it is for all of us across the tech ecosystem to prioritize operating with safe deployment and disaster recovery using the mechanisms that exist. As we’ve seen over the last two days, we learn, recover and move forward most effectively when we collaborate and work together. We appreciate the cooperation and collaboration of our entire sector, and we will continue to update with learnings and next steps.”
