A massive global computer crash on July 19, 2024, caused by a CrowdStrike update, has reignited concerns about the company’s influence and connections. The crash grounded over 18,000 flights worldwide, including 1,200 in the United States, disrupting travel and bringing the company under scrutiny once again.
CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz attributed the crash to a “defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts,” which led to widespread disruptions in Microsoft operations. This incident has brought renewed attention to CrowdStrike’s history and its significant ties to various political and economic entities.
CrowdStrike has been closely associated with the World Economic Forum (WEF), which named the company a “Technology Pioneer” in 2015 for its leadership in the cybersecurity market. In 2020, CrowdStrike partnered with the WEF in an initiative to combat cybercrime using artificial intelligence.
Additionally, CrowdStrike’s largest shareholder is investment giant Vanguard, which holds a 12.41% stake through its Vanguard Index Funds. BlackRock also has a smaller stake in the company. This concentration of ownership has raised concerns about the influence of these major investment firms in the tech industry.
CrowdStrike’s political connections have also been a source of controversy. The company was involved in the investigation of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) hack during the 2016 election. This investigation, which attributed the hack to Russian intelligence, led to significant political fallout and the “Russia, Russia, Russia” investigation into former President Donald Trump.
In 2017, Trump questioned why the FBI was not allowed to investigate the DNC server directly and suggested that CrowdStrike, allegedly linked to Ukraine, was brought in instead. These claims resurfaced during Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which ultimately led to Trump’s impeachment.
The recent crash has amplified concerns about CrowdStrike’s role and the potential risks associated with its widespread access to global computer systems. “What’s particularly concerning about this outage is that CrowdStrike had kernel access to most of the systems around the world,” said Peter Gietl of Return. “This seems very dangerous, allowing a hacker or an accident to crash systems around the world.”
Furthermore, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly owns significant shares in CrowdStrike, with investments estimated between $500,000 and $1,000,000. This connection adds another layer of complexity to the company’s political entanglements.
As the fallout from the crash continues, the spotlight remains on CrowdStrike and its influential role in cybersecurity, politics, and global economics.
