Scammers target users affected by the recent IT outage

After the recent IT outage, cybersecurity experts and agencies worldwide are alerting people to a surge in opportunistic hacking attempts that could put users at risk. 

Although there is no evidence that the CrowdStrike outage resulted from any malicious activity, it’s becoming clear that some cybercriminals are trying to exploit the situation.

Authorities in the UK and Australia are now advising the public to be cautious of fraudulent emails, phone calls, and websites impersonating official entities. 

The Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) issued an alert about hackers distributing fake software fixes purportedly from CrowdStrike. 

“Alert! We understand a number of malicious websites and unofficial code are being released claiming to help entities recover,” the notice reads. In addition to this, The ASD urges IT responders to rely solely on CrowdStrike’s official website for information and assistance.

In a blog post, CrowdStrike CEO George Kurtz urged users to verify they are communicating with genuine company representatives before downloading any fixes. He stated: “We know that adversaries and bad actors will try to exploit events like this. Our blog and technical support will continue to be the official channels for the latest updates.”

These warnings follow a very similar advisory from the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), which on Friday called for heightened vigilance against suspicious emails or calls posing as CrowdStrike or Microsoft support. 

The agency reported: “An increase in phishing referencing this outage has already been observed, as opportunistic malicious actors seek to take advantage of the situation.”

Secureworks researchers have also noted a sharp rise in the registration of CrowdStrike-themed domains—hackers creating new websites designed to appear as though they are official, potentially deceiving IT managers or the public into downloading malware or revealing private information.

The advice targets IT managers, who are working to bring their organisations back online, but individuals may also be targeted. Experts emphasise the importance of acting only on information from official CrowdStrike channels.