When disaster strikes: Lessons from the CrowdStrike outage and preparing for mission-critical IT issues
On July 19, 2024, businesses worldwide faced unexpected disruptions due to a software update from cybersecurity provider CrowdStrike. The ripple effect was widespread, impacting industries from aviation to healthcare and government entities. Now, 90 days later, several key learnings have emerged that further emphasize the importance of robust IT disaster recovery (DR) and incident response strategies.
The CrowdStrike outage reminded everyone that no single solution, however trusted, is immune from failure. And while the company’s swift and transparent response was widely commended, the event highlighted the critical need for proactive disaster preparedness, diversified infrastructure, and continuous communication. For technology leaders, the takeaways from this event go beyond the immediate crisis, offering important lessons for long-term resiliency.
Key Learnings 90 Days Later
Root Cause Analysis and Process Refinement
Since the initial disruption, CrowdStrike has identified the root cause of the outage as a misconfigured update deployment mechanism. To prevent future occurrences, the company has enhanced its processes with additional safeguards and more rigorous update testing protocols. This serves as a reminder for other organizations to regularly review and strengthen their own software update procedures, especially when pushing updates across global systems.
The Need for Diversified Incident Response Strategies
One of the clearest takeaways from the event is the need for diversified security and incident response strategies. Many businesses, especially those relying heavily on single-vendor solutions, faced prolonged disruptions. Technology leaders should ensure they have multiple layers of protection and failover mechanisms in place. Diversifying security vendors and adopting a hybrid infrastructure approach—one that combines cloud-based and on-premise systems—can mitigate risks and improve resilience.
Increased Vendor Oversight and Audits
In the months since the incident, organizations have placed a renewed focus on vendor management. CrowdStrike’s quick response was a bright spot, but the event exposed the importance of regular vendor audits. Businesses should ensure that third-party providers have robust disaster recovery plans in place and meet clear service level agreements (SLAs). Increased vendor oversight can help identify potential vulnerabilities before they lead to outages.
Automation in Incident Response
A key insight from the CrowdStrike outage is the value of automated incident response systems. Many companies that were affected have since invested in tools that can instantly reroute traffic or initiate failovers when an outage occurs. Automation not only speeds up recovery times but also minimizes the risk of human error during critical moments. For businesses that rely on real-time data and uninterrupted service, this is an essential step toward faster, more reliable recovery.
Long-Term Reputational Impact
While the immediate technical response was vital, the long-term reputational effects of the outage have been significant. Even brief disruptions can erode customer trust and impact business relationships. In the aftermath, businesses have realized the importance of having robust public-facing communication plans. Keeping customers informed with regular updates during an incident can significantly mitigate the potential for reputational damage.
Evolving Cybersecurity Best Practices
The CrowdStrike outage has accelerated the adoption of more comprehensive cybersecurity strategies. Relying on a single provider is no longer considered a sufficient approach. Organizations are now diversifying their cybersecurity vendors, integrating more robust monitoring tools, and expanding their incident detection and response capabilities. This multi-layered approach ensures that if one layer fails, others remain operational, minimizing the overall impact of a disruption.
Six Tactical Steps for Technology Leaders
1. Conduct Frequent, Hands-On DR Testing
Ensure that your disaster recovery plan isn’t just theoretical. Schedule bi-annual disaster recovery drills, using both tabletop and real-world simulations that involve all relevant team members. These exercises will help you identify gaps and ensure that your team is ready to act quickly in a real crisis.
2. Diversify Your Infrastructure
Reduce the risk of single points of failure by adopting a multi-cloud or hybrid environment strategy. Spread workloads across multiple providers so that if one service goes down, critical operations can continue without disruption.
3. Develop a Real-Time Communication Plan
Create an internal communication framework that outlines escalation paths, designates responsibilities, and prepares pre-drafted templates for real-time updates. Effective communication with internal teams and external stakeholders is critical to keeping everyone informed and focused on recovery efforts.
4. Automate Incident Responses
Invest in automated failover systems that can instantly reroute traffic or initiate data recovery processes during outages. Automation minimizes recovery time and reduces the potential for human error during critical incidents.
5. Vendor Audits and Oversight
Regularly audit your DRaaS, cloud, and third-party vendors to ensure they meet your SLAs and have proven disaster recovery protocols. Being proactive about vendor management will help you avoid unexpected vulnerabilities.
6. Enhance Cybersecurity Resilience
Incorporate a multi-layered cybersecurity strategy that includes diversified security vendors and robust monitoring tools. This way, if one system is compromised, others remain functional, and your organization can maintain operational integrity during an outage.
TL;DR
Three months after the CrowdStrike outage, the lessons learned are clear: technology leaders must prioritize preparation. Whether through DR testing, diversifying infrastructure, or enhancing communication plans, businesses that take proactive steps today will be better positioned to navigate future disruptions.
At Resourcive, we work with businesses to build disaster recovery strategies that ensure resilience and operational continuity. Ready to future-proof your organization? Contact our experts to learn how we can help you prepare for whatever comes next.
