What Caused Such a Widespread Tech Meltdown?

A flawed software update sent out by a little-known cybersecurity company caused major computer outages around the world on July 19, affecting airlines, hospitals, emergency responders and scores of other businesses and services. How could that happen? The chaos stemmed from an update sent by CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company based in Austin, Texas, to businesses that use its software to protect against hackers and online intruders. But when CrowdStrike’s new code reached computers that run Microsoft Windows software, the machines began to crash. The cascading effects highlighted the world’s reliance on Microsoft and a handful of cybersecurity firms like CrowdStrike that provide the world’s technological backbone. The issues also raised broader questions about what repercussions software firms should face when flaws in their code cause major disruptions.