Microsoft blames EU agreement for CrowdStrike disaster, releases USB recovery tool

Microsoft hinders preventive measures for CrowdStrike BSOD, cites EU agreement; releases a USB recovery tool.

: In response to a global Windows BSOD crisis, Microsoft reveals that a 15-year-old EU agreement restricts blocking third-party kernel access. The incident impacted 8.5 million devices, affecting vital infrastructure. A recovery tool has been provided by Microsoft to aid in computer repairs.

In the wake of Friday's global Windows BSOD incident linked to CrowdStrike software, Microsoft states that a 2009 agreement with European regulators prevents the company from blocking third-party full kernel access. This restriction has led to significant disruptions across enterprises, including in air traffic and hospitals, affecting 8.5 million devices, though this represents less than one percent of all Windows systems.

Due to the agreement, Microsoft is unable to legally deny third-party developers such as CrowdStrike from accessing level 0 of the Windows kernel, unlike Apple, which restricts such access. Many businesses and users were unaware of CrowdStrike before this incident, leading to widespread public attribution of the issue to Microsoft's notorious BSOD.

To mitigate the aftermath, Microsoft has released a recovery tool requiring a USB drive with specific storage and format criteria, which can aid in creating Windows recovery media or booting PCs into safe mode. Despite the issue's origin in CrowdStrike's software, Microsoft remains in the spotlight, prompting calls for reassessment of third-party kernel access policies.

CrowdStrikekernel accessSecurity