Elon Musk mocks Microsoft as global IT outage hits airports and hospitals

Elon Musk, tech magnate and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, couldn't resist a playful jab at Microsoft over the colossal IT meltdown that has sent shockwaves across the globe.

The disruption has seen flights grounded, train services axed, and hospitals thrown into turmoil. While the root cause remains shrouded in mystery, it has been linked to a Microsoft Windows malfunction and global cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike.

Musk, the world's wealthiest individual and owner of X (previously Twitter), took to his own platform early today (Friday, July 19) to poke fun at tech behemoth Microsoft.

He resurrected an old tweet from October 2021, which succinctly stated: "Macrohard >> Microsoft." The repost has since gone viral, amassing tens of thousands of likes as Musk fans revel in the brazen taunt.

Commenters jumped into the fray, with one urging: "Please build something better!" Another simply said: "Elon was right."

In a separate post, Musk re-shared a meme declaring "everything else is down, this app still works", with X shown as a man relaxing against a backdrop of Microsoft mayhem. Musk chimed in with a chuckling emoji, adding to the online merriment.

Microsoft has pointed the finger at an unnamed "third-party" for the widespread technical woes. The company issued a statement saying: "We're aware of an issue affecting Windows devices due to an update from a third-party software platform. We anticipate a resolution is forthcoming."

George Kurtz, the CEO of Crowdstrike, has assured that his team has pinpointed the issue and implemented a "fix". In a comprehensive statement, he declared: "Crowdstrike is actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts.

"Mac and Linux hosts are not impacted. This is not a security incident or cyberattack. The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed.

"We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website.

"We further recommend organisations ensure they're communicating with Crowdstrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilised to ensure the security and stability of Crowdstrike customers."