CrowdStrike file update bricks Windows machines around the world
Falcon Sensor putting hosts into deathloop - but there's a workaround
Updated An update to a product from infosec vendor CrowdStrike is bricking computers running Windows globally.
The Register has found numerous accounts of Windows 10 PCs crashing, displaying the Blue Screen of Death, then being unable to reboot.
“We're seeing BSOD Org wide that are being caused by csagent.sys, and it's taking down critical services. I'll open a ticket, but this is a big deal,” wrote one user.
Forums report that Crowdstrike has issued an advisory with a URL that includes the text "Tech-Alert-Windows-crashes-related-to-Falcon-Sensor-2024-07-19" – but it's behind a regwall that only customers can access.
An apparent screenshot of that article reads "CrowdStrike is aware of reports of crashes on Windows hosts related to the Falcon Sensor. Symptoms include hosts experiencing a bugcheck\blue screen error related to the Falcon Sensor."
CrowdStrike's engineers are working on the issue.
Falcon Sensor is an agent that CrowdStrike claims "blocks attacks on your systems while capturing and recording activity as it happens to detect threats fast."
Right now, however, the sensor appears to be the threat.
This is a developing story and The Register will update it as new info comes to hand. ®
Updated at 0730 UTC to add
Brody Nisbet, CrowdStrike's chief threat hunter, has confirmed the issue and on X posted the following:
There is a faulty channel file, so not quite an update. There is a workaround...
1. Boot Windows into Safe Mode or WRE.
2. Go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike
3. Locate and delete file matching "C-00000291*.sys"
4. Boot normally.
In a later post he wrote "That workaround won't help everyone though and I've no further actionable help to provide at the minute".
Lots more here ...