And suddenly what we had read in science fiction scenarios and deep down we all feared, became reality. Micorosoft’s mesh planet seemed captured on a blue screen. Airports, businesses, hospitals, banks were forced to suspend their operations. Flights cancelled, operations postponed, broadcasts interrupted, transactions blocked.

However, fears of a hacker attack were quickly dismissed by experts. The culprit was a poorly planned update, an upgrade of a security software. A small error in a code brought for a few hours a planetary chaos. So we are so dependent and so vulnerable to the internet. Security expert Jan Lemnitzer from the Copenhagen School of Management explains why: “The problem has arisen because the whole planet uses Microsoft’s platform, and there are five or six cyber security companies around the world, serving practically everyone. So when one of these companies starts an update that doesn’t work properly, suddenly nothing works.”

Dependence on a handful of companies

The fact that these companies are measured on the fingers means that one of their mistakes can have disastrous consequences for many large customers worldwide. But surely it was wrong? An important indication that it was not a hacker attack, but a technical problem, is always when the blackout starts in Australia. The expert explains the reason: “Usually these updates are scheduled for a specific day. Australia is the first country where it dawns worldwide. As long as the sun rises on the planet, the problem appears everywhere.”

In essence, the problem is solved in a very simple way, as long as there is someone who is ready to step in and knows how. “All you have to do is either cancel the update or go to the specific folder on your computer and rename a file.” It sounds very easy, but it first of all requires the right guidance, as well as on-site human intervention. Bottom line: our globalized planet is ultimately vulnerable to digital mistakes, but they start with people and people are called upon to fix them. This is also some small consolation.

Absolute protection does not exist

As the security expert explains, “absolute protection does not exist for anyone. It takes readiness and alternatives. In other words, if a cyber attack or a technical error occurs, you should know what your next move is.”

And surely after each such incident the experts become wiser. In this case, since there was no malicious motive, the consequences of the next day will probably be limited. Except for an immediate one. “I don’t see any other side effects, but it’s certainly very irritating for those who were planning on this day to start their vacation,” concludes Lemnitzer.