CrowdStrike is Sued by Shareholders Faulty Software Update
CrowdStrike is facing a lawsuit from its shareholders following a defective software update that resulted in the crash of over eight million computers, creating widespread disruption globally.
The lawsuit alleges that the company provided “false and misleading” information regarding its software testing procedures.
It claims that the company’s stock value fell by 32% within 12 days following the incident, resulting in a $25 billion (£14.5 billion) decrease in market value. CrowdStrike has refuted these claims and intends to contest the class action lawsuit vigorously.
CrowdStrike Global IT
The company has reported that the computers impacted by the extensive global IT outage are now largely restored to normal operations. According to 5 p.m., local time resolved the US-based firm on Monday, July 29 (midnight Tuesday GMT), concluding ten days after the outage began.
The lawsuit, filed in a federal court in Austin, Texas, claims that CrowdStrike executives deceived investors by misleading them about the thoroughness of the company’s software testing.
The suit is seeking compensation for investors who held shares between November 29 and July 29, though the exact amount being sought has not been specified.
The lawsuit references remarks made by CEO George Kurtz during a conference call on March 5, where he stated that the company’s software was “validated, tested, and certified.”
In response, CrowdStrike has informed Stubbyintl News that it disputes these allegations.
In an interview with CNBC, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian revealed that the outage’s disruption resulted in a $500 million loss for the airline, covering both lost revenue and passenger compensation.
Delta is reportedly engaging a high-profile attorney and plans to pursue compensation from CrowdStrike.
On July 19, a defective update caused 8.5 million Microsoft Windows computers worldwide to crash, leading to significant disruptions for businesses and services, such as airlines, banks, and hospitals.
CrowdStrike’s thorough investigation into the incident revealed that a “bug” in a system meant to verify the effectiveness of software updates was responsible for the failure.
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CrowdStrike explained that the glitch allowed “problematic content data” in a file to go unnoticed.
The company stated that improving its software testing and implementing more rigorous checks, including enhanced oversight from developers, could prevent a similar issue from occurring in the future.
What is CrowdStrike?
CrowdStrike is a leading global cybersecurity firm with a market capitalization of $83.48 billion (£64.62 billion). Its flagship product, Falcon, is a cloud-based software designed to protect work computers from cyber threats.
Falcon functions as a small, vigilant guard within your computer, continuously monitoring for any suspicious activity and sending this data to Crowd’s cloud-based command center for AI-powered analysis.
If a threat is identified, the Falcon can swiftly respond by isolating infected files or devices, blocking access to harmful websites or networks, and ending any malicious processes.
Shareholder lawsuit
Reuters has reported that a proposed class action lawsuit was filed on Tuesday evening in a federal court in Austin, Texas. Shareholders of CrowdStrike allege they discovered the company’s assurances about its technology were significantly false and misleading
when a defective software update caused widespread disruptions affecting airlines, banks, hospitals, emergency services, and business operations globally
CrowdStrike’s Stock
They reported that CrowdStrike’s stock dropped by 32 percent over the subsequent 12 days, resulting in a $25 billion reduction in market value as the impact of the outage became apparent.
CEO George Kurtz is scheduled to testify before the US Congress, and Delta Air Lines, which incurred costs of up to $500 million from nearly 7,000 cancelled flights, has reportedly hired renowned attorney David Boies to seek compensation.
Delta Air Lines has hired David Boies, renowned for his role in representing the US government in its major antitrust case against Microsoft and for his successful efforts in overturning California’s ban on same-sex marriage.
The CrowdStrike shareholder complaint reportedly references statements from a March 5 conference call in which CEO George Kurtz described the company’s software as “validated, tested, and certified.
CrowdStrike response
In a statement on Wednesday, CrowdStrike, based in Austin, asserted to Reuters, “We believe this case is without merit, and we will vigorously defend the company.” CEO George Kurtz and Chief Financial Officer Burt Podbare are also named as defendants.
The lawsuit, started by the Plymouth County Retirement Association of Plymouth, Massachusetts, seeks unspecified damages for holders of CrowdStrike Class A shares from November 29, 2023, to July 29, 2024.
Following the outage, CrowdStrike’s share price, which had more than doubled in 2023, has dropped over 24 per cent, resulting in a market valuation loss exceeding $25 billion.