CrowdStrike, a leading cybersecurity firm, has confirmed that it dispatched Uber Eats gift cards to its partners as a token of appreciation for their efforts in assisting customers during a recent Microsoft Windows outage. This gesture, intended to smooth over ruffled feathers, has instead sparked online mockery as the cybersecurity vendor and its solution providers grapple with the aftermath of a problematic CrowdStrike update that disrupted millions of Windows machines globally.
“CrowdStrike did not extend these gift cards to customers or clients,” clarified a company spokesperson based in Austin, Texas, in a statement to CRN. “We directed them towards our teammates and partners who have been instrumental in guiding customers through this challenging period. Uber flagged the gift cards as potentially fraudulent due to unusually high redemption activity.”
These digital vouchers, valued at $10 each for Uber Eats food delivery services, encountered redemption failures, leaving recipients facing error messages, as reported by TechCrunch. Screenshots and excerpts from CrowdStrike’s email, which included the Uber Eats code and expressed gratitude to partners for their dedication during the July 19th incident, circulated across social media platforms like Reddit and X (formerly Twitter) earlier this week.
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Partner Reactions to CrowdStrike’s Uber Eats Offering
Several CrowdStrike partners, when contacted by CRN, admitted they had not received the gift card email initially, leading some to suspect it might be a phishing attempt or a disinformation campaign. This confusion preceded CrowdStrike’s official confirmation of the email’s legitimacy.
When questioned about the possibility of re-issuing gift card codes to partners who experienced redemption issues or did not receive the initial email, the CrowdStrike spokesperson did not provide immediate answers.
Louis Corriero, VP of Cloud at IT Vortex, a CrowdStrike partner based in Paramus, N.J., voiced his concerns on LinkedIn, stating, “The gesture of a coffee or Uber Eats credit hardly compensates for the tens of thousands in lost man-hours and eroded customer trust resulting from the July 19th incident.”
In an interview with CRN, Corriero elaborated on the disruption, mentioning that IT Vortex staff had to respond to customer crises in the early hours of the morning to mitigate the damage and clarify that the issue originated outside of their MSSP’s control.
“My LinkedIn post barely scratches the surface of the pain and disruption this caused,” he added. Corriero expressed hope that CrowdStrike would consider offering “perhaps a month of complimentary services or a similar gesture that genuinely reflects the magnitude of the disruption caused.”
Despite these grievances, Corriero affirmed his continued support for CrowdStrike and its product suite. “Despite this incident, I remain a supporter,” he noted.
Phillip Walker, CEO of Network Solutions Provider, a CrowdStrike partner in Manhattan Beach, Calif., shared with CRN that the gift cards represented “a missed opportunity to genuinely support the businesses and individuals impacted by the outage” and to create a moment of positive engagement with both channel partners and customers.
“While the CrowdStrike incident was significantly problematic, it pales in comparison to the potential devastation of a malicious cyberattack,” Walker pointed out. “This event underscores the critical need for ongoing investment and reliance on cybersecurity expertise to safeguard our vital infrastructure and data.”
Another CrowdStrike partner, who preferred to remain anonymous, confided to CRN that the gift card incident alone was enough to consider ending their partnership in favor of a competitor. “We are seriously re-evaluating our options,” the partner stated.
It’s important to note that the Uber Eats gift card is only a small component of CrowdStrike’s broader response to what some have described as a major IT breakdown. Reports indicate that Delta Airlines experienced continued flight disruptions even on Wednesday due to the ripple effects of the outage.
CrowdStrike released a “Preliminary Post Incident Review” on Wednesday, and the gift card email directed partners to a centralized Remediation Hub offering information, tools, and resources to manage the fallout.
Screenshots and text from the email, shared online and with CRN, indicated it was signed by Daniel Bernard, CrowdStrike’s Chief Business Officer. CRN has reached out to Mr. Bernard for further comments.
“Dear CrowdStrike Partners,” the email began, “We acknowledge the extra effort demanded by the July 19th incident. We sincerely thank you and apologize for the inconvenience… To show our appreciation, your next coffee or late-night snack is on us!”
The email further detailed that “The affected version of channel file 291 was promptly added to Falcon’s known-bad list within the CrowdStrike Cloud. We have also enhanced our cloud services to significantly accelerate communication speeds to the sensor. Importantly, no sensor updates, new channel files, or code were deployed from the CrowdStrike Cloud.”
A LinkedIn user identifying as a systems administrator reacted online with disbelief, asking, “Please tell me this is a joke,” upon hearing the news.
On Reddit, a user shared the CrowdStrike email with the wry comment, “I genuinely considered driving my car off a bridge this weekend, and all they got me is coffee. How thoughtful.”
