Fact or fiction: Las Vegas Sphere displayed 'blue screen of death' during Microsoft outage?

A global software update from CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company utilised by Microsoft, led to a massive IT outage on 19 July 2024. The update disrupted businesses, airlines, and medical facilities worldwide by causing glitches in Microsoft computing systems, as reported by NBC News.

This incident resulted in significant delays in air travel and business operations, highlighting the vulnerabilities of a digitised world heavily dependent on a few service providers.

X

The infamous "Blue Screen of Death" (BSOD), a term for the Microsoft error message, appeared on Microsoft systems globally.

The truth about the Las Vegas Sphere image

In a peculiar twist, an image circulated on social media, claiming to show the Las Vegas Sphere displaying a BSOD. However, this photo was digitally altered and not authentic. According to Snopes.com, a fact-checking website, this image had been analysed in both 2023 and 2024 and was found to be fake. Using FotoForensics, a platform specialising in digital image forensics, Snopes determined that the image had been manipulated.

Microsoft ruined the Las Vegas sphere ? pic.twitter.com/jOYuuS8bdU

¡ª DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) February 26, 2024

This wasn¡¯t the first time such an image had surfaced. In late February 2024, a similar photo was posted on X (formerly Twitter), with the caption "Microsoft ruined the Las Vegas sphere." This post garnered over 5 million views. The image was also reposted by various social media profiles and websites, including Russian and Czech-language sites, with the earliest known posts dating back to 7 July 2023.

Also Read: 'Ex-CrowdStrike employee' hilariously takes credit for Microsoft outage in viral satirical video

The Las Vegas Sphere, located at The Venetian Resort, is an immersive venue for performances and events. Announced by the Madison Square Garden Co. in 2018 and designed by the global design firm Populous, the Sphere has become a notable landmark in Las Vegas.

Satya Nadella addresses the global outage

Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella, along with CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz, addressed the significant issues caused by the recent CrowdStrike update. Nadella assured users on X that Microsoft is "actively collaborating with CrowdStrike and industry partners to guide our customers through the recovery process and restore their systems securely."

Also Read: Microsoft outage explained: How CrowdStrike is triggering the infamous Windows' 'Blue Screen Of Death'

ANI

Kurtz explained that the problem originated from "a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts," which did not impact Mac and Linux systems. He emphasised that the issue was "not a security incident or cyberattack," and assured that it has been "identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed." Kurtz advised organisations to communicate through official CrowdStrike channels for updates and to ensure the security and stability of their systems.

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