Following the incident where CrowdStrike’s security software update caused Windows to blue screen, impacting globally, a key issue raised was that Windows is too open of a system, allowing software to access kernel-level functions. If it had a more restrictive shutdown system in place, such issues may not have occurred.
Interestingly, towards the end of this event report, The Wall Street Journal cited discussions with Microsoft representatives. They stated that Windows cannot implement such a shutdown system due to a 2009 agreement with the European Commission, requiring security software to access devices at the same level Windows does. For more details, refer to Microsoft’s official documents.
The report did not mention how the European Commission views other operating systems that restrict kernel-level access. For instance, Apple’s macOS closed off all kernel access points in 2020, posing challenges for some security software developers to adapt to this change.
Source: The Wall Street Journal via Neowin
TLDR: CrowdStrike’s software update caused global Windows blue screen, highlighting the system’s openness and the challenges it poses for security software developers. Apple’s macOS, which restricted kernel access, also presented difficulties for developers.
Leave a Comment