Charleston Tech CEO Discusses Far-Reaching Impact and Recovery After Major Tech Outage
The CEO of Charleston Technology Group, Ian Sidles, woke up to frantic calls from clients concerned about their data in the wake of a massive technology outage affecting several banks. Fortunately, Sidles’ company remained unscathed.
Understanding the Outage
Sidles explained the issue lay within a software update rolled out by CrowdStrike antivirus solution, which inadvertently caused Windows operating systems to malfunction. This was not a fault on the part of Microsoft but an issue stemming from the antivirus solution itself.
No Foolproof Safety
When it comes to such broad-spectrum outages, Sidles emphasized the inherent uncertainty and lack of failsafe safeguards. He explained, “You can’t really prepare. You choose an antivirus solution and part of the solution is that they have a rollback feature in the operating system.”
According to Sidles, the rollback feature is particularly important for ransomware cases, allowing the user to return to a previous point in time when the system was functioning without complications.
The Fallacy of Cloud Storage
Sidles also addressed the common misconception that cloud storage is eternally reliable. Contrary to public belief, companies back up their data for a finite number of days – a detail that may evade average users. If data recovery is required after this stipulated period, typically thirty days, the data might not be available without recourse to third-party applications.
Importance of a Recovery Plan
Despite the unpredictable nature of technological crises, Sidles insists on the significance of a recovery strategy. “It’s all about the disaster recovery plan, and then testing the disaster recovery solution periodically,” stated the tech CEO. This includes procedures for restoring computers affected by issues beyond ransomware and virus attacks.
Road to Recovery
Technology restoration is a variable process, ranging from a few minutes to several days, depending on the scope and complexity of the issue at hand. Companies need to stay abreast with the recent advancements to minimize the downtime and ensure a quicker recovery.
In conclusion, technology outages can have a disruptive effect, highlighted by the recent global tech outage. Businesses are highly recommended to consider employing robust contingency measures to navigate through such scenarios; a disaster recovery plan being crucial to the scheme. As technology continues to evolve, so should our measures of protection to ensure the continuity of work and preservation of data.
