Massive cyber-glitch grounds flights at Newark Airport, impacts businesses

❗ Cyber-glitch cripples banking, commerce, travel and more

❗ Cyber security company Crowdstrike appears to have been the target

❗ Some office software may be affected

7:20 a.m.: Not a cyberattack?

First believed by many to be a cyberattack, security firm CrowdStrike now says global technology outages were likely the result of a glitchy software update.

According to CNN, the CEO of CrowdStrike termed it an "IT issue." The cause, he says, has been identified and a fix deployed.

A statement on the CrowdStrike website reads:

"CrowdStrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts. Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack.

The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website.

We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels."

Microsoft says the underlying issue of the global outage has been fixed, but customers should expect residual effects to impact Microsoft 365 apps and services.

6:49 A.M.: Don't go to Newark Airport

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is now advising travelers to go to Newark Liberty International Airport unless your flight departure is confirmed.

WABC-TV reports only three flights have left Newark in the last hour.

A cyber outage is having a massive impact on business systems, commerce and travel worldwide.

The cyber security company Crowdstrike appears to have been the source of the problem, leading to a global outage that has affected banks, airlines, businesses and other companies.

Some of the biggest companies in the U.S. have been affected including Microsoft, Amazon, Visa ADT and American Airlines.

There have also been reports some 911 call centers have been affected, but there are no reports of the outage impacting New Jersey emergency services.

The full scope of the outage has not yet been realized.

Who is affected by the global cyber outage?

Airlines, police agencies, media companies, financial companies and Microsoft are all reporting outages worldwide.

No financial institutions have reported problems in the U.S., but financial institutions in Australia and New Zealand have been affected.

In Israel, officials say hospitals and health services are facing a computer “malfunction."

Delta and United airlines have been forced to cancel flights, according to the FAA.

This is just a partial list of the impacts, and more are still being discovered.

Will my office be affected in New Jersey?

Maybe.

It depends on where you work, but Microsoft reported its 365 apps were affected overnight.

The company reports the aps have come back online, but social media chatter suggests there may still be some problems accessing your programs.

Visa has also reported issues, and if you take credit card payments it could affect your business.

Security company ADT was also reportedly affected.

Will my flight be cancelled at Newark Liberty International Airport?

U.S. carriers Delta, United, Frontier and American Airlines have cancelled and delayed flights, according to the FAA.

The website Flightaware is showing multiple cancellations at Newark, as well as other airports across the country.

The problems appear to be getting worse as the morning goes on.

You are more likely to be impacted if you are flying international today. International carriers Virgin Australia and Qantas are reporting disruptions.

Call you carrier or check their website for the most updated information.

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