Worldwide internet outage affecting some local systems
An internet outage affecting Microsoft is disrupting flights, banks, media outlets and companies across the world and in the Rochester region. According to the Associated Press, problems are continuing hours after the technology company said it was gradually fixing an issue affecting access to Microsoft 365 apps and services. Airlines in the United States, Europe, Australia and India were reporting problems, with some flights grounded. Retail outlets, banks, railway companies and hospitals in several parts of the world were also affected.
Dick's closed at Eastview Mall
Monroe County staffers scramble to triage IT issues after worldwide internet outage
Monroe County officials said on Friday their staffers including the County Executive’s office were working since before 4 a.m. dealing with the impact of a worldwide internet outage.
It involved a cybersecurity firm, CrowdStrike, that provides software to scores of companies worldwide , as well as organizations like Monroe County.
County Executive Adam Bello said that the county is using some automated software to help address issues, but it will also take work by county personnel through the weekend to help make sure more county operations are all back online.
“And we also have our county IT staff deployed around the system here to get devices back online,” said Bello. “Now, given the sheer volume of devices, 3,500 of them, and multiple county operation locations, this is still going to take some time.”
Because of the outages, some public facing facilities were closed Friday including the DMV offices, the county office building and the County Clerk’s office.
Thalia Wright is Commissioner of the county’s Dept. of Human Services. She said that even with the computer outages affecting some social services offices on Friday, county staffers are following up on any needs from clients right through the weekend.
“So if there's any concerns or needs around emergency housing, saying that we will utilize after hours on the weekends, we're asking community to call our number at 442-1742,” said Wright, “and we will assist with those emergency housing placements as well.”
Change of plans
The global technology outage is causing widespread travel disruptions, also affecting the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport.
Some early travelers arrived initially unaware of the problem but as flights got delayed, with no updates, and news reports rolled, the situation became clear.
“We got here this morning for 10 o'clock flight, and it got delayed two hours and then like almost immediately canceled,” said James Ewing, who is visiting from North Carolina with his family and was trying to get home. “We looked to get another flight. Everything else is, like, canceled for the next day or so.”
The answer? “My mom's been in line for a rental car for almost an hour now.”
Delta, American and United were among the airlines that saw some cancellations or delays, said airport director Andy Moore. About a third of the flights at the airport were affected by about 10 a.m. Friday. But Moore said the actual operations at the airport continued without any problems.
“A lot of people left,” said Josh Miles from Victor, who is with a group trying to get to a leadership conference in Indiana. “The airport became pretty barren, when things started to roll out that they were so delayed and canceled. So it was extremely quiet for a normally busy time.”
After multiple flight delays and long lines to retrieve their bags, they are taking a bus instead.
Moore suggested anyone with ongoing scheduling or flight issues contact their individual airline.
New York state official issues statement on incident
New York state's chief cyber officer released a statement Friday morning acknowledging the CrowdStrike issue.
"We are aware of an issue affecting Windows computers running a third party security software tool that is impacting systems and services worldwide," Colin Ahern said in the statement. "It is not a security incident or cyberattack.
“We are working with our agencies, local governments, and the third party service provider to resolve any issues on impacted systems. Our priority is to ensure all 911 systems across New York are operational and able to address emergency response needs."
Ahern also said the state's Office of Information Technology Services is "actively working with other state agencies on a resolution" but did not yet have a timeline for full restoration.
“Governor Hochul is closely monitoring impacts to critical infrastructure, including finance and transportation. We recognize the impact this is having on services, not only across New York but also globally," Ahern said in the statement.
Some city of Rochester offices closed
The city of Rochester said that while it is also dealing with the CrowdStrike outage, most systems remain functional and most offices remain open.
A news release from the city said that all public safety systems, including police and fire, are fully functional and are using backup systems for some tasks. Refuse and recycling pickup is not affected and the water systems are fully functional. The city also said that payment windows at City Hall are open and the City Clerk's Office is open, though some services may be delayed.
The city's Parking and Traffic Violations offices and building and zoning permit offices are closed because they rely on external systems that are down, according to the release. The city's 311 line is also not working, and it is encouraging people to use the 311Live online service platform at cityofrochester.gov.
The city said its Information Technology Department has been working since the early hours of the morning to fix email, camera systems, mapping, and dispatch systems and other key systems.
Some URMC offices to open late because of CrowdStrike outage; RRH reports minimal issues
The University of Rochester Medical Center is also dealing with complications from the global CrowdStrike IT outage.
The health care system said in a news release that multiple computers that support clinical care are down, but a fix has been issued and its IT team is working to reinstate all affected systems "with a focus on maintaining patient care."
It also said that its medical record system has not been affected — that includes the MyChart system and app — and that as of 9 a.m., emergency and inpatient care at Strong Memorial Hospital was continuing without interruption.
In a separate statement, URMC said that as of 9 a.m., emergency and inpatient care at Highland Hospital is also continuing without interruption
URMC said there will be delays in opening many urgent care centers, lab draw stations, ambulatory practices, and patient call centers, and that it's working to restore full operations as soon as possible. It will post frequent updates on MyChart, UR Medicine social media accounts, and the URMC Newsroom page during the day.
In a statement, Rochester Regional Health said the outage has had minimal effect on its system.
"All RRH hospitals and outpatient sites are fully operational," the statement said. "Patients with scheduled procedures and appointments should continue with those as planned. If you have any questions, please contact your provider’s office.”
Several Monroe County facilities closed
Monroe County released this statement on Friday morning:
The County continues to work on the impact of the global CrowdStrike Windows outage on county functions. 9-1-1 and emergency communications are operating with back-up systems. If you call 9-1-1 and the call is not answered immediately, do not hang up as the calls are answered in order.
The following county facilities are closed to the public today:
- The County Office Building
- The County Clerk’s Office
- All Department of Motor Vehicles branches
- Department of Human Services, 111 Westfall Road
- Department of Public Health public facing operations, including Vital Records and all health clinics
- Anyone requiring assistance or emergency housing can call DHS at 585-442-1742
The following county functions are operating:
- The Monroe County Court System, all jurors should report
- Seneca Park Zoo
- County Parks
- Department of Transportation
- Medical Examiner’s Office
- Department of Environmental Services
- Probation
- Monroe Community Hospital
Some flights at Rochester airport canceled
Airlines in the United States, Europe, Australia and India were reporting problems, with some flights grounded.
Locally, there were at least a few flights, mainly involving Delta and American, that were canceled Friday morning at the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, although it wasn’t immediately known if that was directly related to the Microsoft outage.
United Airlines reportedly was having some problems in various locations as well.
The local airport is open, but people should check their flights for any cancellations or delays.
