On Friday 19th July, significant IT outages impacted businesses worldwide. The outages primarily affected companies using security software from CrowdStrike. An error in a recent update to their antivirus software caused disruptions in many leading businesses’ systems.

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has confirmed that the outages were not the result of a security incident or malicious cyber activity. They have encouraged affected businesses to apply the fix that has already been issued and emphasised the importance of continuing to install security updates as an essential security practice.

The NCSC has also reported an increase in phishing attempts referencing the outage, which may target organisations or individuals. Consequently, businesses should ensure their staff are particularly vigilant with emails over the coming weeks.

NCSC guidance on defending your business from phishing attacks can be found here: NCSC Phishing Guidance