Global IT outage felt in Manitoba

A global information technology outage is causing disruptions here in Manitoba.

The outage, affecting Microsoft 365 apps and services, has impacted airports, airlines, health-care services, and banking services.

Marc Perrault, senior manager of security risk with Mozilla, said the outage was caused by an update CrowdStrike tried to install overnight that caused a driver in the software to fail.

"Because of the way it's tied into the Windows operating system, it basically crashed Windows, causing a blue screen of death," he said.

Perrault said outages like this one are rare, but when they happen, the public feels them.

"Because this one impacted so many large organizations that are public facing, things like airports and hospitals and banks -I've even heard that some banks were impacted by it - that's why the public is seeing it so much," he said.

The impact in Manitoba 

Dynacare posted on its website that all Manitoba, Quebec, British Columbia, and Ontario labs are closed due to the outage.

A spokesperson for Shared Health said their system was not impacted by the outage since it used a different provider for cyber security. However, due to the closure, they're expecting heavier outpatient traffic at hospital labs.

"No patient needing a blood lab will be turned away as long as they have a valid requisition form, but they are cautioned that wait times may be longer due to the increased traffic and the need for lab staff to prioritize our hospital-based patients," the spokesperson said in a statement.

Porter Airlines said it is currently canceling flights, and while the system is offline, passengers cannot be rebooked.

The Winnipeg Airports Authority said it's aware of the outage and is currently monitoring the situation.

"Winnipeg Richardson International Airport remains operational. However, flight delays and cancellations may occur," a spokesperson said in a statement. "Passengers are urged to double-check the status of their flight with their airline before making their way to the airport."

For fans of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, buying advance tickets is not an option currently as their ticket system is down.

Katie Inverarity, director of marketing and communications with Manitoba Theatre Centre, said they're hearing a fix for their ticketing system is underway.

"Our understanding is that in Canada, the fix is rolling out from the east coast and working their way across the country. So I'm really optimistic that we should see a resolution overnight," she said.

In the meantime, tickets will be sold outside the venue 30 minutes before show time, and they will be cash-only. Tickets for the next show will also be on sale at the venue 15 minutes after the previous show starts.

Those who purchased advance tickets are asked to bring their confirmation numbers to the venue, as they're on a list for entry.

The Winnipeg Goldeyes were also temporarily impacted by the outage but said Friday afternoon, their ticket system was back online.

Efforts to resolve the outage from Microsoft and CrowdStrike remain ongoing.

-with files from The Canadian Press