Microsoft Hosts CrowdStrike Conference in September

Microsoft said it would hold an event for industry peers at its campus in Redmond, Washington, on Sept. 10, 2024. The event comes less than two months after a buggy update from CrowdStrike caused millions of Windows computers to crash. Those who attend the gathering will explore the idea of relying more on a safer part of Windows than the privileged kernel mode that CrowdStrikes software draws on. The incident sent internet-connected systems into disarray. Airlines canceled thousands of flights, logistics companies reported package delivery delays and hospitals delayed medical appointments. Delta Air Lines, which said fallout from the outage cost the company $550 million, is seeking damages from CrowdStrike and Microsoft. Corporate Vice President for Windows Device and App Experiences at Microsoft Aidan Marcuss said participants at the Windows Endpoint Security Ecosystem Summit will explore the possibility of having applications rely more on a part of Windows called user mode instead of the more privileged kernel mode. Microsoft has already called for adjustments to the Windows operating system to optimize flexibility and has dropped some subtle hints about moving security vendors out of the Windows kernel. Currently, the CrowdStrike program operates at the kernel level- the core part of the operating system, which has unrestricted access to system memory and hardware. The event is due to discuss the applications that largely draw on windows user mode instead of kernel mode, as the CPU grants the program full access to system resources and hardware, while user-mode applications are more isolated, so they cannot affect other systems. Source: Qatar News Agency