Global IT meltdown disrupts air travel and cripples businesses
A massive IT systems failure paralysed companies and institutions worldwide on Friday morning. Some airports and railway stations decided to shut down completely, and certain airlines had to ground all their planes.
One of the "victims" of this situation is Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), temporarily suspended operations on Friday morning due to severe technical problems. A spokeswoman for the airport stated that no planes were taking off or landing. The cause is likely a global software failure by Microsoft, reported the newspaper Berliner Zeitung.
Initiating emergency systems
As reported by German media, the cause of the disruptions is a technical failure that caused delays in services. According to unconfirmed information, a severe server failure occurred, and emergency systems were activated, stated the portal of the station rbb24.
The failure also affected Swiss companies: Swissguide, which handles air traffic control, and Swissport, which handles passengers and cargo at airports worldwide.
Authorities in Australia also reported problems related to the cyber system failure. On Friday, the media, banks, and telecommunications companies were paralysed. A spokesman for Home Affairs in Canberra stated that the source of the problem appears to be the global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
More countries report problems
Severe public service system disruptions are also reported in the UK, Japan, the Czech Republic, and Spain. However, the most significant problems are being recorded in the United States. According to CNN, the most popular American airlines, including American Airlines, United, and Delta, had to ground all their planes.
The situation is evolving, and no one can tell how long this crisis will last. New reports of failures are continually emerging.
