American cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike confirmed a connection between the recent update of its antivirus software and a global disruption in the Windows operating system. 

The company’s software is integral to protecting various sectors and was involved in the recent global outage that affected retailers, airlines, media companies, and other critical industries.

- What is CrowdStrike? -

CrowdStrike, based in Austin, Texas, is a leading cybersecurity technology company that protects individuals, processes, and technologies. 

Designed to safeguard Windows systems from cyberattacks, CrowdStrike's software detects viruses, malware, and hacking attempts. Once installed, the software activates shortly after the computer is turned on to ensure protection.

CrowdStrike offers cloud-based online security solutions, utilized by major cloud service providers, including Amazon Web Services (AWS). 

- Founding and growth -

Founded in 2011 by George Kurtz, Dmitri Alperovitch, and Gregg Marston, CrowdStrike has seen significant growth and development. By 2024, only Kurtz remained with the company. 

CrowdStrike gained widespread attention in 2019 when it was tasked with investigating the Democratic National Committee (DNC) breach. 

That same year, the company announced its initial public offering with an initial valuation exceeding USD 6.6 billion. 

Before the recent service disruption, the company's shares were valued at over USD 380 each, up from USD 64 per share in June 2019.

- Identifying the issue -

Reports indicate that a flaw in the recent software update caused the global issue, leading to the "Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)" on numerous Windows devices. 

CrowdStrike’s software integrates with Windows to provide advanced security using cloud-based artificial intelligence and machine learning to detect and prevent threats in real time. 

However, an incorrect update led to the Falcon Sensor program causing Windows systems to fail at startup.

Clients subscribe to CrowdStrike's Falcon packages, starting at USD 299.95 annually for the basic Falcon Go package. The entities and institutions affected by the recent outage typically invest significantly more in CrowdStrike's security services.