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6 Learnings from the CrowdStrike incident
The dust has settled on the CrowdStrike news, but its lingering impact on IT systems remains significant. While many have rushed to blame, we must delve deeper into the underlying causes and lessons learned.
In the aftermath of the Y2K crisis, the world made a crucial mistake: blaming IT for the perceived "hoax." This hasty judgment overshadowed the unprecedented success of IT's response and led to a widespread misconception about the importance of technology.
Similarly, with the CrowdStrike bluescreen outage, there's a rush to assign blame, often targeting Microsoft or other easy scapegoats. However, a closer examination reveals a more complex picture.
When all is said and done, here’s what we could learn from the Crowdstrik incident, along with a few indicators to help prevent a similar event from happening again:
Insight 1 - More than a technical glitch
Microsoft's decision to grant kernel access, while Apple and most Linux variants did not, played a crucial role. This wasn't a careless mistake but a strategic choice driven by EU regulations to ensure fair competition.
Insight 2 - Preparation is key
Organizations that were resilient in the face of the outage had invested in robust recovery plans and security measures. Therefore, if you’re reading this and are a CIO, one way of preventing a context of this type is to count on another option.
Insight 3 - Bugs vs. Malware
The distinction between bugs and malicious software has blurred. Both can cause significant damage.
Insight 4 - DevOps is more than just deployment
Effective DevOps services and solutions require a focus on continuous integration and delivery, including rigorous testing and quality assurance. It is now evident that one of the most overlooked aspects of the development process ended up being what caused the CrowdStrike incident to happen in the first place. This begs the question: have we arrived at a point where we might be negotiating delivery in the name of fast deployment?
Insight 5 - Blame the Red Queen
Cybersecurity vendors are caught in a constant race against evolving threats. The pressure to release patches quickly can lead to unintended consequences.
Takeaway
By understanding these insights, CIOs can better prepare their organizations for future cyber threats and make informed decisions about technology investments and risk management.