The UK was hit by a major IT outage on Tuesday afternoon with the software of several companies impacted by the glitch – including the software used for payroll
Businesses across the UK have been plunged into chaos as a global IT outage wreaks havoc, causing payroll pandemonium and widespread disruption. The technical turmoil has led to airport queues, GP appointment delays, and even retail payment failures.
Cybersecurity experts at CrowdStrike are scrambling to resolve a “defect” in a recent Microsoft Windows update that’s blamed for the digital disaster. The glitch is hitting workers’ wallets, especially those on weekly wages, with companies reporting their payroll systems are in disarray.
Melanie Pizzey, CEO and founder of the Global Payroll Association, expressed her concern, saying: “We’ve been contacted by numerous clients already today who have been unable to access their payroll software due to the Microsoft outage and others who have been urged to log out with immediate effect.”
She warned of the potential fallout, saying: “Depending on the length of this outage, it could have very serious implications for businesses across the nation, particularly those who process payroll on a weekly basis. Furthermore, we could see a backlog with regard to processing payrolls for the coming month end which may delay employees from receiving their monthly wage.”
She went on to say: “At best, it will require those managing payroll to work overtime to rectify the issue, but the good news is that it doesn’t seem to be a cyber attack,” reports Wales Online.
Barclays bank has acknowledged disruptions to its digital investing platform. A spokesman confirmed: “All Barclays services are operating as normal at this time other than our digital investing platform Smart Investor, where customers are currently unable to manage their account in the app, Online Banking or over the phone.”
Meanwhile, other financial entities like Link, which operates the UK’s ATM network, have assured customers of smooth operations. Link stated that its network is “working normally but enhanced monitoring is in place as a precaution.”
