A computer in the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center displays an error message on July 19 after a global technology outage impacted Penn.
Credit: Ethan YoungA global technology outage impacted several aspects of Penn’s operations on Friday.
A flawed software update sent by the cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which helps to detect and block cyber threats to Microsoft Windows operating systems, caused the international issue, which produced widespread outages at Penn. The outage most heavily impacted the University of Pennsylvania Health System, resulting in cancelled appointments and delayed elective surgeries.
“As you may already be aware, CrowdStrike, the security tool installed on all University endpoints, has identified a defect in its Windows update, which is causing widespread outages, including at Penn,” Penn IT wrote in an email to undergraduates this morning.
“Penn IT is actively implementing a fix and will continue to bring systems back up as quickly as possible,” the email read.
Penn Medicine physicians were unable to access certain patient health records, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer, which also reported that medical notes were being written by hand.
Penn Medicine wrote on Instagram that while “[a]ppointments in some locations may need to be cancelled and rescheduled today,” hospitals across the network “are fully staffed and continuing to care for patients.”
“During today's unprecedented global IT crisis, Penn Medicine teams came together to provide exceptional patient care – including performing emergency surgeries, delivering babies, and facilitating transfers of critically ill and injured patients to our facilities – using well-established ‘downtime’ procedures where necessary,” a Penn Medicine spokesperson wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian Friday evening.
The spokesperson wrote that even with the CrowdStrike outage, Penn Medicine was able to provide care to over 2,700 patients, but that the outage forced the cancellation of some outpatient appointments, procedures, and “surgeries which could safely be delayed,” all of which will be rescheduled for times within the next two weeks.
“Most priority computer systems have been restored … and our teams are expediting restoration of remaining programs and ensuring that all computers are working,” the spokesperson wrote, adding that Penn Medicine will contact any patients with appointments scheduled for Monday who might continue to be affected.
“We are proud of our health care heroes – and our colleagues across the nation – who have worked tirelessly around the clock to care for patients amidst this worldwide outage,” the spokesperson concluded.
Wharton Student Computing released a statement Friday morning addressing the outage, writing that the team was “working with our vendor to address the issue,” and that “many Wharton staff, faculty, and services” were impacted.
In an update on Friday evening, the group wrote that “[a]ll services are fully operational, including classroom, public computers, and GSRs.”
Computers throughout the Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center also displayed error messages on Friday — though not all computers were affected.
The outage also widely affected citizens across Philadelphia. Most notably, flights out of Philadelphia International Airport, Amtrak trains, hospitals, court systems, and state agencies across the area have been affected.
At a press conference Friday afternoon, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker — joined by information technology, emergency response, public safety, city operations, and Philadelphia International Airport leadership, along with more community leaders — addressed the outage.
“We’re aware that residents and local businesses may have experienced some disruptions, and the City of Philadelphia has been hard at work since the early hours of this morning, responding to and handling this IT issue to ensure Philadelphia government operations were impacted as little as possible,” Parker said. “Our public safety agencies all continued to operate and respond as needed to our citizens’ calls. We apologize for any inconveniences this may have caused and appreciate everyone’s patience.”
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