Microsoft and cyber firms to meet on fixes after CrowdStrike crash

Microsoft Corp. is planning a meeting next month with the cybersecurity companies that run the core of its Windows systems to discuss ways to prevent a repeat of last month’s worldwide computer crash.

Cyber ​​companies — including CrowdStrike Holdings Inc., the firm that last month released a flawed content update that led to widespread outages of Windows systems globally — will meet with Microsoft on Sept. 10 at its headquarters in suburban Seattle, said the tech giant. They are scheduled to discuss best practices for deploying updates to Windows PCs and whether security firms should continue to have access to the core — or core — of Microsoft’s Windows operating systems.

The CrowdStrike debacle, which paralyzed businesses and markets for hours in July, sparked a fierce debate over whether cyber firms should be allowed to operate on Microsoft’s so-called Windows kernel, highlighting the risks associated with this type of basic level access.

The meeting comes after CrowdStrike released a flawed content update in July that shut down Windows computers around the world, disrupting air travel, banking and other businesses. CrowdStrike has since announced extensive changes to the way it tests and deploys content updates. CrowdStrike is expected to attend the summit, and government representatives will also be invited, according to Microsoft.

“We look forward to bringing our perspective to discussions with Microsoft and industry and government stakeholders about the need for a more resilient ecosystem,” a CrowdStrike spokesperson said in a statement.

Photo: Microsoft Corp screen. Windows Recovery was displayed at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York on July 19. Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg

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