AUS, CapMetro affected by global tech outage from Austin-based cybersecurity company

Transportation service CapMetro, the Austin Bergstrom International Airport, and Texas drivers license offices are being affected by a global technology outage at a cybersecurity company based in Austin Friday morning.

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Transportation service CapMetro and the Austin Bergstrom International Airport were affected by a global technology outage that happened after a faulty software update issued by a cybersecurity company based in Austin Friday morning. Texas driver license offices were also closed because of technical issues.

The update issued by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike grounded flights, knocked banks offline and media outlets off air on Friday in a massive disruption that affected companies and services around the world, according to reporting from the Associated Press.

The issue affected Microsoft 365 apps and services across the globe. Company leaders said the issue was not caused by a security incident or cyberattack, that the issue was identified and a fix is in the works.

AUS said on social media early Friday morning the outage was affecting airlines that serve the airport, and anyone flying out should check their flight status before heading to the airport.

At least two American flights and one Delta flight departing from AUS were canceled early Friday morning. The FAA said several airlines including United, American, Delta and Allegiant had requested assistance with ground stops.

The FAA is closely monitoring a technical issue impacting IT systems at U.S. airlines. Several airlines have requested FAA assistance with ground stops for their fleets until the issue is resolved. For more information, monitor fly.faa.gov for updates.

FAA statement

CapMetro also posted online at 5:13 a.m. that it was being impacted by the outage and that customers could experience delays. Shortly before 9 a.m. the service's communication manager told KXAN over the phone their systems were back up.

Texas Department of Public Safety Driver License Offices across the state were also shut down "due technical issues" Friday morning, according to a social media post from DPS. Customers with appointments were notified.

DPS said in the post IT teams are working on a fix, but there was no estimate on when the offices will open, and that customers should monitor DPS' social media and website for updates.

DPS did not specify if the CrowdStrike/Microsoft issues were the reason for the closure, but KXAN has reached out for clarity.

CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz said on X at 4:45 a.m. Friday that the company is "actively working with customers impacted by a defect found in a single content update for Windows hosts."

"This is not a security incident or cyberattack," Kurtz continued in the post. "The issue has been identified, isolated and a fix has been deployed. We refer customers to the support portal for the latest updates and will continue to provide complete and continuous updates on our website. We further recommend organizations ensure they’re communicating with CrowdStrike representatives through official channels. Our team is fully mobilized to ensure the security and stability of CrowdStrike customers."

The company is primarily based in Austin, though it operates mostly remote globally, according to its website. In 2021, it changed its designation of its principal executive office to Austin.

Local police, government, emergency services impacts

KXAN reached out to local police departments and EMS services to ask if they've been impacted by the outages. So far, no local departments have reported patrol or response issues due to the outage.

The Austin Police Department said its computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems went down, and it switched to a secondary which is “standard procedure and practice.” APD said this did not impact patrol response.

Williamson County government said it was affected overnight by the outage but it did not impact Williamson County Emergency Communications' ability to answer 911 calls or dispatch appropriate first responders. Williamson County Technology Services Department worked through the night to bring systems back online.

The Georgetown Police Department confirmed it experienced no issues caused by the outage.