With Acme Business Managed Cybersecurity & IT Services, It Would’ve Been ‘Just Another Friday’
Even if you or your business weren’t affected personally, you’re likely aware of the CrowdStrike crisis and worldwide IT outage by now. It was pure technological chaos, the likes of which the IT world has never seen. But if you were a client of Acme Business’s managed cybersecurity and business IT services, it was “just another Friday.”
That’s often the difference when picking and choosing the various options that comprise your business’s technological footprint. Your choices – from accounting software to digital defenses and everything in between – could mean the difference between technology crashing and risking a massive data leak and potentially hours, days or even weeks of productivity.
Every disaster is worth analyzing to prevent it from happening again in the future. In this blog, we’ll break down what happened during and detail how Acme Business prevents disasters like this in the first place.
What was the CrowdStrike & Microsoft IT Outage?
In an unprecedented event that shook the global business landscape, a routine update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike led to one of the largest IT outages in history. It specifically impacted at least 8.5 million Microsoft devices and software elements, among others.
But the ultimate impact was MUCH more widespread. From airports to financial institutions, and retail giants to law enforcement agencies, no sector was spared the chaos that ensued.
On July 19, 2024, a routine software update from CrowdStrike’s Falcon Sensor wreaked havoc worldwide. A logic error in the update led to a critical failure on millions of Windows devices, causing them to crash with the infamous “blue screen of death.”
The fallout was immediate and extensive:
- Airports: Major airlines like American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines issued ground stops due to communication failures. Flights were delayed or canceled, stranding passengers globally.
- Financial Institutions: Customers in Australia, New Zealand and beyond found themselves unable to access their bank accounts, disrupting financial transactions and trading on platforms like the London Stock Exchange.
- Retail Sector: McDonald’s in Japan and Waitrose in the UK had to resort to manual cash transactions, while some Starbucks locations shut down entirely.
- Law Enforcement & Public Services: The Alaska State Troopers experienced 911 outages, and Sky News went off the air temporarily.
- IT Infrastructure: Businesses and other organizations running on Microsoft 365, Azure, and other essential platforms faced significant disruptions.
This incident highlights the profound interconnectivity and vulnerability of our global IT infrastructure.
Acme Business Would Have Prevented the IT Outages & Network Downtime for Clients
If you were already an Acme Business managed IT and/or cybersecurity client, chances are you felt very little, if any, ill effect. Perhaps your personal devices got the dreaded “blue screen” or went on the fritz, but anything associated with our professional IT services would’ve been safe.
We’re proud to provide robust and reliable IT and cybersecurity services. Here’s how our managed services would have shielded businesses from such a widespread disaster:
- Proactive Monitoring & Rapid Response: Our 24/7 monitoring services ensure that any potential issues are identified and addressed before they escalate. In the case of the CrowdStrike update, our team would have detected the problem early and taken preventive measures.
- Custom Configuration Management: Unlike generic solutions, Acme Business tailors configurations to fit each client’s unique IT environment. This customization reduces the risk of incompatibility and critical failures.
- Disaster Recovery Protocols: Our comprehensive disaster recovery plans include regular backups, failover systems and rapid deployment of fixes. Businesses under our care would have experienced minimal downtime, if any, as our systems efficiently rolled back to the last stable state.
SentinelOne: The Superior Cybersecurity Partner
Most notably, Acme Business doesn’t even use CrowdStrike as a cybersecurity solution. While CrowdStrike’s error caused global chaos, Acme Business’s partnership with SentinelOne ensures our clients receive superior cybersecurity protection.
Here’s why SentinelOne stands out in the cybersecurity realm:
- Advanced Threat Detection & Response: SentinelOne’s AI-driven platform offers unparalleled threat-detection capabilities. It not only identifies, but also autonomously responds to threats in real-time, significantly reducing the risk of widespread failures.
- Seamless Integration: SentinelOne is designed to integrate seamlessly with various operating systems, including Windows, Mac and Linux. This cross-platform compatibility ensures consistent protection without the risk of system conflicts.
- Proven Reliability: SentinelOne’s track record speaks for itself. With a lower incident rate and a robust recovery system, it has become the trusted choice for businesses requiring dependable and resilient cybersecurity solutions.
Moving Forward: Choose Acme Business for Your Managed IT & Cybersecurity
The CrowdStrike incident serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in the increasingly complex and interconnected world of IT. But Acme Business proudly stays ahead of the game for managed IT and cybersecurity clients.
Such disasters can be averted. Again, for our clients, it was “just another Friday.” Our proactive approach, coupled with SentinelOne’s advanced capabilities, ensures that your business or organization remains protected and operational, even when digital disasters are affecting the rest of the world. That’s exactly what smart business leaders like you are looking for.
Don’t let your business fall victim to the next IT catastrophe. Call Acme Business at (716) 372-1325 and connect with us on LinkedIn. Our experts can tailor managed IT services to your unique business needs to provide peace of mind.
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