Global internet outage grounds flights, hits banks, telecoms, media

A software update wreaked havoc on computer systems globally on Friday, grounding flights, forcing some broadcasters off air and hitting services from banking to healthcare.

An update to a product offered by global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike, opens new tab appeared to be the trigger, affecting customers using Microsoft's, opens new tab Windows Operating System. Microsoft said later on Friday the issue had been fixed.

CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on social media platform X that the company was "actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts" and that a fix was being deployed.

"This is not a security incident or cyberattack," Kurtz said in the post.

Early on Friday, major U.S. airlines - American Airlines (AAL.O), opens new tab, Delta Airlines (DAL.N), opens new tab and United Airlines (UAL.O), opens new tab - grounded flights, while other carriers and airports around the world reported delays and disruptions.