Giant #computer #failure at airports: Who will pay?
Have you heard about the recursory action that could cost Microsoft or CrowdStrike dearly?
When too many systems depend on the same service provider, a failure linked to that provider becomes systemic and can have immeasurable financial consequences.
Are you blaming the airline? They believe the airport is responsible. The airport will say that the failure is IT-related, and the IT service provider will refer the matter to the software publisher, who has itself subcontracted the faulty module to one of its service providers. The exoneration of some by seeking the liability of others is at the origin of the recourse action.
Who pays?
Ultimately, the defaulting service provider. However, should the victim of the damage directly target the party ultimately responsible for the damage, or can he or she be satisfied with attacking his or her co-contractor? If the victim is content to target the nearest responsible party, the latter will try to catch the next link in the chain. This is the cascade mechanism for transferring the burden of responsibility.
Combine this transmission mechanism with the class action which allows a large number of victims to hold a professional liable by sharing the costs of the trial, and you end up with a high probability of a heavy sentence for the company responsible for the computer failure that paralyzed numerous airports and companies around the world on 19 July 2024.
This won't stop well-advised people from escaping the consequences of their responsibility. Let's assume for a moment that CrowdStrike exempted itself from all liability, and that the financial consequences will ultimately fall on Microsoft, with no way out.
It will then be up to the last liable party, deprived of any recourse, to read its insurance policy carefully and measure the consequences.