NYC’s Critical Systems Functioning Amid Global Network Outage, City’s Tech Chief Says

Gothamist: A global network outage disrupted some services around New York and New Jersey early Friday morning, according to reports from multiple agencies, but most critical systems were not affected, officials said.

The problems seem to have stemmed from an update to a Microsoft program called CrowdStrike that crashed every computer system that received it, according to Matthew Fraser, New York City’s Chief Technology Officer. The biggest impact was to flights at regional airports — but train, traffic and emergency response systems were all functioning, officials said.

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Statement from New York State Chief Cyber Officer Colin Ahern

“We are aware of an issue affecting Windows computers running a third party security software tool that is impacting systems and services worldwide. It is not a security incident or cyberattack.

“We are working with our agencies, local governments, and the third party service provider to resolve any issues on impacted systems. Our priority is to ensure all 911 systems across New York are operational and able to address emergency response needs. The third party has identified a fix for the underlying issue and the New York State Office of Information Technology Services is actively working with other state agencies on a resolution. We do not yet have a timeline for full restoration.

“Governor Hochul is closely monitoring impacts to critical infrastructure, including finance and transportation. We recognize the impact this is having on services, not only across New York but also globally.”

Source: The Office of the Governor