Whenever something big happens in the tech world, scammers are not far behind. The CrowdStrike outage of 2024 was no different, and while the issues have mostly been resolved, scammers are still trying to stalk unsuspecting victims, peddling their latest scams.
Receiving emails claiming to be about CrowdStrike repair can be a source of security risks. These emails could be scams that aim to steal your personal information or install malware on your device. It is important to verify the authenticity of any email claiming to offer repair or support services, and not to click on links or download untrusted attachments. So, here’s what could be going on with a CrowdStrike repair email and why you should ignore it. Check IdentityIQ Isn’t a Scam, but Is It Trustworthy?
What is CrowdStrike?
CrowdStrike is a global cybersecurity company with clients that include some of the world’s largest companies. Companies that can’t risk losing data or compromising their systems typically invest in something a little more powerful than the Windows antivirus applications you and I use on our PCs, which is where specialized companies like CrowdStrike come in.
CrowdStrike is one of the most popular choices for businesses, providing defense against hackers trying to access critical systems, endpoint security, threat intelligence, and cyberattack response services. Since the loss of these critical systems can cost businesses millions of dollars at best or human lives at worst, businesses need the best protection they can get.
The CrowdStrike outage occurred when the security firm pushed a bad update to businesses around the world. The update caused Windows computers to experience a blue screen of death loop when booted up, rendering affected systems unusable. This caused chaos around the world, from canceled flights to critical hospital applications being taken offline. To make matters worse, most of the affected computers needed to be manually reset and rebooted, adding millions of hours of downtime to critical systems.
What is the CrowdStrike update repair email?
As you might imagine, the CrowdStrike bug caused panic among businesses. Many were looking to Microsoft or CrowdStrike for solutions, both of which eventually released updates and tools to help get their computers back on track. Unfortunately, where there might be widespread panic, scammers are not far behind.
CrowdStrike has identified a widespread scam that is using the latest outage as part of its bait. As explained in a blog post, CrowdStrikeThe scammers took a copy of Microsoft’s advice on how to fix a computer affected by the CrowdStrike update. They then pasted it into a Word document and added a Word macro designed to download the Daolpu malware onto the targeted computer. They then emailed the infected Word document to people hoping to catch a victim.
When someone receives the email with the infected Word document, they download it to learn how to fix the CrowdStrike blue screen error. If they have macros enabled in Word, the Daolpu malware is downloaded onto the victim’s computer. From there, Daolpu steals cookies and login details from the victim’s browser and sends them back to the scammer.
What to do if you receive a CrowdStrike update fix email
Fortunately, the CrowdStrike update fix email scam requires a significant amount of interaction to initiate the process. Not only do you need to receive the email, you also need to download a Word document and enable macros as well. Some high-quality antivirus applications will detect if a Word document contains macros and will block the download before it arrives.
Even if it lands on your computer, Word will warn you that the document contains macros and won’t let you enable them without your explicit permission. This trick provides a good learning experience for a general rule of thumb: If you don’t know where a Word document came from, never enable macros. Who knows what’s hiding in there? Check out how to create and run macros in Microsoft Word.
Should you be worried about CrowdStrike?
If you received an email to fix the CrowdStrike update, you may be wondering: Will the CrowdStrike update bug affect my computer? Fortunately, if you’re reading this article from a PC, I can guarantee that you won’t be affected by CrowdStrike at all.
Remember, CrowdStrike is a business-oriented security suite designed to help organizations protect themselves. There’s a very good chance your PC doesn’t use CrowdStrike as an antivirus; it would be like putting bulletproof glass on your everyday car. And because you don’t have CrowdStrike on your system, you won’t be affected by the recent outage.
If anyone claims that your computer is at risk because of CrowdStrike, there’s a good chance they’re trying to scare you into doing what they say. Don’t believe them; CrowdStrike isn’t a hidden service on your Windows computer, nor is it something you’d normally download to a PC.
The CrowdStrike update fix scam is extremely malicious, exploiting fear to spread malware. Fortunately, if you receive it on your PC, there’s no need to worry. If you do use it, don’t trust a random email; instead, use the recovery tool from Microsoft Or read the documents CrowdStrike About the outage for more information. You can now read about how to raise cybersecurity awareness among older relatives and protect them from fraud.
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