Have You Tried Turning It On And Off Again?

THE BIG IDEA

CrowdStrike's Global IT Outage Déjà Vu

On July 18, 2024, millions of people across the country learned about CrowdStrike for the first time — and not in a good way. The leading cybersecurity company released a software update that triggered a massive global IT outage, and the fallout was severe and far-reaching.

Airports entered chaos mode, with planes grounded and travelers stranded; hospitals reverting to pen and paper as if Y2K had finally arrived; banks and retailers watching helplessly as their systems froze, leaving customers fuming. All thanks to a glitch in CrowdStrike's Falcon Sensor software.

But for CrowdStrike's CEO, George Kurtz, this might have felt like an eerie case of déjà vu. Flash back to 2010: Kurtz, then the Chief Technology Officer at McAfee, watched as another botched update mistook a crucial Windows file for malware, effectively telling computers worldwide to reboot in an endless cycle of madness. It was like the computers had been possessed by a zealous junior IT employee, constantly trying to fix the problem by turning itself on and off again. Like with Crowdstrike, it took a manual update to fix the problem, but not until after billions in damage were inflicted.

As the dust settles and the memes multiply, the irony isn't lost on anyone. Unsurprisingly, the recurrence of such a major incident under Kurtz's leadership has drawn attention and criticism, raising questions about leadership and quality control in major cybersecurity firms and highlighting several critical vulnerabilities in the global tech ecosystem.

We've built a global economy on digital foundations that might be about as stable as a house of cards — and CrowdStrike just sneezed. Experts are calling for a tech ecosystem overhaul, throwing around phrases like 'diversified IT systems' and 'robust disaster recovery plans.' In other words, they're suggesting we stop putting all our digital eggs in one highly breakable basket.

So, what's the lesson in all this digital drama?

For CTOs and CIOs, this event offers a unique moment for reflection and opportunity for changing mindsets within the org. The CrowdStrike incident underscores a reality you're likely very familiar with: the delicate balance between advancing technology and maintaining strong foundations. It provides concrete evidence of what can go wrong when foundational systems are neglected—serving as a stark reminder for organizations to shore up their foundations first.

It’s an opportunity to evangelize to the rest of the C-Suite that we need a balance in investment between digital transformation and digital foundations, using the Crowdstrike story as a cautionary tale.

As for CrowdStrike, they're facing a future filled with lawsuits, lost customers, and a lot of explaining to do — because in the world of cybersecurity, you're only as good as your last update.

CHART OF THE WEEK

How are engineers really using AI tools?

A recent survey by the Pragmatic Engineer newsletter reveals that AI tools are becoming the Swiss Army knife of software development. GitHub Copilot, ChatGPT, and the like are now the go-to assistants for everything from code generation to debugging and learning new languages. But as the love affair between devs and AI is heating up, with GitHub Copilot alone boasting over a million paying customers, the whirlwind romance is not without complications.

The impact on productivity is as varied as the developers themselves. Many are reporting efficiency gains that would make a startup founder weep with joy. Experienced coders are integrating these AI sidekicks seamlessly, watching their productivity soar. However, it's not all smooth sailing. Some less experienced developers may struggle with over-reliance on AI-generated code and difficulty in critical evaluation — falling into the 'AI says jump, I say how high' trap, and forgetting that critical thinking is still very much on the job description. Research shows that over-reliance on AI is an easy trap to fall into and can lead to increased errors.

Moving forward, the software engineering field faces the challenge of balancing AI use with maintaining critical thinking skills. Founders and CTOs must implement AI thoughtfully to maximize benefits, while developers need to engage in continuous learning to leverage these tools effectively.

WATERCOOLER

Does AI believe in God?

It's a question that might sound like the setup for a sci-fi novel, but thanks to Jon Oleksiuk's video A.I. debates Atheist, Believer - Is there a God?, we get to see an AI grapple with this age-old question in real-time.

In this digital theological showdown, GPT-3 takes on the roles of both atheist and believer, serving up a smorgasbord of arguments, demonstrating an impressive ability to articulate both sides of the debate. On the atheist side, GPT-3 questions the need for a divine creator, arguing that the universe and morality can exist without supernatural intervention. Playing the believer, the AI emphasizes faith, the complexity of life, and the personal experiences that suggest a higher power.

Overall, this experiment demonstrates that AI can do more than crunch numbers (which, in fact, it’s often quite bad at) — it can spark meaningful conversations about the nature of existence itself, helping us ponder our place in the universe and making for a useful partner when we’re home alone at night and too introspective to pick up the phone and talk to an actual human.

DISCOVERY ZONE

Wondering where childhood memories and nightmares intersect? This AI camera creates a fictional drawing diary from the photos you take.

MEME