Public hospitals across Israel, including Sheba, Rambam, and Laniado, are grappling with a major computer malfunction Friday morning, which is believed to be part of a global issue.
The malfunction may impact the operation of surgical rooms and extend waiting times in emergency rooms. Patients are expected to face longer waits for admission or hospitalization. Surgeries and discharges could also be delayed. Additionally, Meuhedet Health Services' computers are affected.
Ynet has learned that some bank customers are unable to access their accounts via apps. Bank Hapoalim employees working remotely are unable to connect to the bank's systems. Some banks are experiencing issues with ATM withdrawals due to connection checks between ATMs and bank accounts. So far, no Friday bank branch closures have been reported. Bank officials clarified that there is no risk of fraudulent activity due to the global malfunction.
Magen David Adom (MDA) ambulance service reported issues with their 101 emergency hotline, advising potential difficulties in dialing. They recommended calling the police's 100 hotline if necessary. The Israel Electric Corporation also reported that their 103 call center could not be reached due to the global computer system malfunction.
Israel Post announced disruptions, stating: "Due to a global software malfunction at an external company affecting many businesses in Israel, postal services, phone centers, and our website are currently unavailable. We apologize for the inconvenience and are working to restore services as soon as possible."
The malfunction is also affecting flights. In the United States, American airline flights are grounded. A passenger reported that the crew attributed the delays to the software issue.
The National Cyber Directorate emphasized that this is not a cyberattack. "A global technical malfunction is currently affecting numerous technology systems worldwide, including in Israel. CrowdStrike issued a technical alert this morning regarding a significant problem affecting Windows systems globally," the Directorate stated.
The issue involves a software component installed on computers using CrowdStrike's product, designed to protect against cyber intrusions, virus attacks, and encryption.
Reports of widespread computer malfunctions have been received from India, the United Kingdom, France, the United States, Canada, and other countries. CrowdStrike's stock plummeted on the New York Stock Exchange. Such global malfunctions are rare, typically only occurring with cloud services, which usually have extensive backups.