‘FAKE’ CrowdStrike Employee Who Disrupted Windows Users Globally

Questions like “What is CrowdStrike? Why is my Windows computer showing the Blue Screen of Death? Who caused the largest IT outage ever?” has been trending globally following a Microsoft error that crippled Windows PCs.

It’s now clear that a faulty update to CrowdStrike’s ‘Falcon Sensor’ antivirus software was behind the outage. The controversy has sparked curiosity about how such a flawed update was released and who was responsible.

Enter Vincent Flibustier, an X user posing as a CrowdStrike employee. Vincent went viral with an AI-generated photo of himself outside the CrowdStrike office, captioned, “First day at CrowdStrike, pushed a little update, and taking the afternoon off.”

Two hours later, Flibustier posted another update, claiming he had been fired by the company. He also shared a brief video taking ‘responsibility’ for the global outage.

He updated his X (formerly Twitter) bio to read, “Former CrowdStrike employee, fired for an unfair reason, only changed 1 line of code to optimize. Looking for a job as a sysadmin.”

Despite his attempt at humor, many online took his satire seriously, blaming him for the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) affecting systems worldwide. Various industries, including airlines, banks, and TV channels, were grappling with the issue, and social media erupted as people searched for a scapegoat.

While some users appreciated his ‘prank’ for giving them a Friday off, others responded with hostility. The truth is that Vincent Flibustier is a satirical writer from Nordpresse, a Belgian parody news site. In an appearance on France TV, he explained that people are drawn to stories that align with their preconceptions.

He further elaborated that his post gained traction because it offered a clear, albeit absurd, culprit amidst the confusion. “No one was named yet, so I provided a ready-made scapegoat.