A faulty software update from CrowdStrike caused widespread “blue screens of death” for Windows users globally, leading to outages in various critical sectors. Despite the chaos, some see an opportunity for innovation amidst the crisis.
The recent global outage serves as a stark reminder of the world’s heavy reliance on technology infrastructure. Venture capitalists view this as a chance for new technologies to prevent such catastrophic events in the future. The incident underscores the importance of startups and venture capital in addressing widespread issues like these.
The focus has shifted to cybersecurity companies following the CrowdStrike outage. However, CRV general partner Reid Christian emphasizes that the issue was not a cybersecurity breach but a result of improper testing and deployment by a major vendor. CRV is investing in Fleet, a cybersecurity and IT management startup, to monitor vendor instances and prevent similar incidents.
Experts suggest that additional security measures like Fleet, which operate outside the kernel, could enhance system stability. Although traditional mobile device management software may not have prevented the BSOD caused by CrowdStrike’s faulty update, more safeguards are necessary when granting deep system access to vendors.
Following the outage, there is growing interest in cybersecurity applications like Wiz that operate outside the kernel. The incident highlights the importance of adopting non-invasive security approaches to prevent future disruptions.
While Oligo Security offers observability software using sandboxing, Wiz is gaining attention for its cloud security solutions. Friday’s event has raised awareness about the need for a more resilient security ecosystem and better deployment practices across the industry.
Investors and industry experts foresee a surge in demand for cloud observability and runtime security solutions post the recent outage. The incident has exposed the vulnerabilities in outdated infrastructure, particularly in sectors like finance and healthcare, prompting the need for advanced technology solutions.
Looking ahead, there is a growing expectation for startups to prioritize security measures that do not rely on kernel access, ensuring greater system stability and protecting against similar disruptions in the future.
Reporting contributed by Marina Temkin.
