https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/api.php?action=feedcontributions&feedformat=atom&user=Mrblissett 2026-04-19T05:57:03Z User contributions MediaWiki 1.30.0 https://www.explainxkcd.com/wiki/index.php?title=2961:_CrowdStrike&diff=346777 2024-07-20T12:31:03Z

<p>Mrblissett: Added citation example of office chariot being a bad idea</p> <hr /> <div>{{comic<br /> | number = 2961<br /> | date = July 19, 2024<br /> | title = CrowdStrike<br /> | image = crowdstrike_2x.png<br /> | imagesize = 322x384px<br /> | noexpand = true<br /> | titletext = We were going to try swordfighting, but all my compiling is on hold.<br /> }}<br /> <br /> ==Explanation==<br /> {{incomplete|Created by an UNAFFECTED BOT - Please change this comment when editing this page. Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> <br /> This comic is about the {{w|2024 CrowdStrike incident}} occurring on the day of the comic's release. CrowdStrike makes security software to protect computers from malware, ransomware and other cyberattacks. The software is sold to businesses and large enterprises like hospitals, airlines and retailers. CrowdStrike frequently releases updates to their software to handle new types of malware they know about.<br /> <br /> A faulty update for one of their software products caused computers with the software installed to crash (a {{w|Blue Screen of Death}}) very early on when booting up. This meant the computers could not be quickly or automatically fixed. Because many large businesses with large numbers of computers used CrowdStrike's software, the resulting disruption was very widespread and very visible, preventing those businesses from operating and, in many cases, preventing their employees from working while their computers were affected. Apparently, Cueball and Ponytail's company, or possibly a company providing a service their work depends on, uses CrowdStrike to secure their computers. Without being able to work, they have found something more entertaining to do -- Cueball, riding a scooter and with a rope tied around his waist, is towing Ponytail, who is sitting on a swiveling chair, around their office or neighborhood. Performing this activity is probably a bad idea.&lt;ref&gt;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2x6l5ziR7Fc&lt;/ref&gt;<br /> <br /> Of course, CrowdStrike itself is a software company. As the caption suggests, its employees don't have the luxury of slacking off while their computers are broken: they have to address the faulty update, and help the businesses using their software to fix their computers. In the event, CrowdStrike had released a patch for the software around six hours after it came to light, at which point it is then the responsibility of those companies' own IT departments to roll out the necessary fixes (as well as continuing to deal with the original fallout, while the workers dependent upon their work wait for personal resolutions to their issues).<br /> <br /> The title text refers to [[303: Compiling]], in which Cueball also found a good way to spend time at work when he couldn't use his computer, albeit for a more mundane reason.<br /> <br /> ==Transcript==<br /> {{incomplete transcript|Do NOT delete this tag too soon.}}<br /> :[White Hat is gesturing with his finger and addressing Ponytail, who is crouched on a moving office chair, holding with both hands onto a rope tied around the waist of Cueball, who is riding an electric scooter.]<br /> :White Hat: Hey, aren't you supposed to be working on the—<br /> :Ponytail: Sorry, that's all on hold today because of the CrowdStrike thing.<br /> <br /> :[Caption below the panel:]<br /> :Protip: As long as you're not actually in charge of ''fixing'' the CrowdStrike thing, you can use this excuse for pretty much anything you want to do today.<br /> <br /> {{comic discussion}}<br /> <br /> [[Category:Comics featuring White Hat]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Ponytail]]<br /> [[Category:Comics featuring Cueball]]<br /> [[Category:Protip]]<br /> [[Category:Computer security]]</div>

Mrblissett