Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Delta Air Lines has filed a $500 million lawsuit against cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, alleging that a faulty software update caused a massive Windows crash, leading to widespread operational disruptions last July. The incident reportedly resulted in the infamous “blue screen of death” across numerous systems, severely impacting the airline’s operations.
According to Reuters, Delta claimed that the software malfunction forced the cancellation of 7,000 flights and affected 1.3 million passengers, amounting to over $500 million in damages, including lost revenue, legal fees, and potential future income losses. The suit was filed in Fulton County Superior Court, Georgia, accusing CrowdStrike of releasing an “untested and defective” software update that Delta argues caused the catastrophe.
CrowdStrike has denied the allegations, calling Delta’s claims “unfounded” and a “misinformed attempt to shift blame” for the airline’s outdated IT infrastructure. “Delta’s allegations are based on unproven misinformation and reveal a lack of understanding of modern cybersecurity practices,” a CrowdStrike spokesperson stated.
Delta reported it has used CrowdStrike’s products since 2022 and claims the July incident had far-reaching consequences for its reputation and financial stability. In its filing, Delta argued that if the problematic update had been tested “on even a single computer,” the crash could have been avoided. The airline further claimed that the update was unable to be remotely removed, compounding disruptions for Delta’s operations and creating significant delays for customers.
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Last month, CrowdStrike’s senior vice president, Adam Meyers, publicly apologized before Congress for the incident, acknowledging that a configuration update for its Falcon Sensor software caused global system crashes. “We are deeply sorry this happened, and we are committed to preventing such occurrences in the future,” Meyers stated.
Delta Air Lines highlighted its substantial investments in IT infrastructure, stating it has spent billions “to license and build some of the best technology solutions in the airline industry.” The company insists that the software failure led to a breakdown that could have been averted with proper testing.
(Raidi/Agung)
