Worldwide IT crash impacts local gov’t systems

(CNS) UPDATED 1pm: A massive technology failure caused chaos around the world Friday as PCs at banks, businesses, flights and hospitals crashed when something went wrong with a security software update. Hundreds of thousands of computers were hit when the cyber-security firm CrowdStrike encountered problems with its software designed to protect Microsoft Windows devices from malicious attacks. Officials from the Cayman Islands Government said many of its systems have been impacted.

“The Computer Services Department is working with CrowdStrike on a necessary fix and is urgently striving to resolve this issue as quickly as possible,” officials stated this morning in a short PSA. “During this time, many public-facing services will be impacted. We ask for your patience and understanding. We will provide further updates as soon as more information becomes available.”

At lunchtime the government issued an update stating that as of 12:30 pm computer services had made progress in resolving the impact to its systems.

“All production systems are operational and work has been completed in all Ministries, ten departments are currently in progress. To date, 60% of all PCs have been addressed, and 100% of servers have been completed,” officials stated. Regarding remote sites, work at 911, the Passport Office, the House of Parliament, Customs and Border Control (CBC) have been completed, while Workforce Opportunities & Residency Cayman (WORC) and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) are all currently in progress. Other remote sites will be addressed after the current sites are completed.”