CrowdStrike glitch

Cyber experts warn that New Zealand companies affected by the CrowdStrike IT outage may remain vulnerable to scammers for several days. A faulty update from the US cybersecurity firm disrupted 8.5 million Windows devices worldwide, impacting flights, retailers, banking, and healthcare systems.

Although most services were restored by Saturday, concerns persist that criminals might exploit the situation. NetSafe chief executive Brent Carey cautioned that businesses affected by the outage could still be at risk from scammers over the next few days. He explained that while CrowdStrike has issued a fixed software update or patch, it may take some time for all organizations to install it and fully protect it.

“Scammers will take advantage of that vulnerability, so it’s important that everyone makes sure they are running the latest version of their software, including that new patch,” Carey said. He also advised vigilance against communications from individuals impersonating CrowdStrike.

“Be alert for any impersonation attempts, requests for passwords, or suspicious links. Do not click on them, and avoid being pressured into contacting someone claiming to be from CrowdStrike,” he added.

The National Cyber Security Centre, part of the Government Communications Security Bureau, echoed this warning. Jordan Heersping, manager for incident triage and response, noted an increase in phishing attempts referencing the CrowdStrike outage.

“These emails or messages may imitate CrowdStrike support or Microsoft security, attempting to obtain credentials or prompt software downloads that attackers could use for further malicious activity,” Heersping said. He added that while no reports of successful scams have been received, the situation is being monitored.

Meanwhile, Banking Association chief executive Roger Beaumont stated that banks would closely examine the incident over the coming week. He commended local banks for their swift response to the outage, noting that they managed to resume regular services relatively quickly, given the global scale of the issue.