In the early hours of Friday morning, computers running Microsoft Windows systems crashed due to an update to CrowdStrike, a widely-used cybersecurity platform. The impact was global, and the IT snafu also affected local institutions around DC, Maryland, and Virginia.
Some high-priority services were impacted. The 911 emergency lines were down in some counties, including Fairfax. (The line is now back in service.) All courts in Maryland closed for the day, and most proceedings were rescheduled.
The outage created issues with transportation, too. Airports around the country, including DCA and BWI, struggled to check people in. In a retro move, Spirit Airlines agents at BWI kept flights going by writing out paper tickets. According to aviation data website FlightAware, as of 1 PM, a total of 25 flights had been cancelled at all three major DC airports, and 129 were delayed.
Agents writing paper tickets at BWI pic.twitter.com/xcvkT3HcY0
— David Shepardson (@davidshepardson) July 19, 2024
Beyond air travel, Metro’s website briefly went offline. Initially, the issue was expected to delay service, but it did not. The website is now active, and normal service began as scheduled at 5 AM.
Crashed computers didn’t spare the restaurant industry either. Restaurateur Ashok Bajaj, founder of Knightsbridge Restaurant Group (which includes Rasika, Bombay Club, Annabelle, and more), says some paper and cooking supply vendors were unable to deliver on their usual schedule due to the outage. Knightsbridge spokesperson Heather Freeman says the delays will not impact operations for the the rest of the weekend. Customers at Starbucks, which has 48 stores in DC, still could not use the app or website’s order-ahead function as of 2 PM.
Local gyms were also hit by the outage, specifically those that use scheduling software Mindbody. Though Solidcore and Yoga District continued on with morning classes, they had to check customers in with a pen and paper, according to emails sent to customers. The issue has since been resolved.
It may seem like the news isn’t slowing down, but there was a break this morning: NBC News4’s morning program started an hour late, at 5 AM. Maybe the outage is a sign we all just should’ve slept in today.
