Trinidad and Tobago’s IT Sector Remains Resilient Amid Global Cybersecurity Challenges
Island Nation Escapes Brunt of Crowdstrike Update Fallout
Trinidad and Tobago escaped much of the fallout of the Crowdstrike update that crippled services globally. The shutdowns of Windows PCs, many of them used for public service kiosks and to serve customers in banks and airports, was quickly patched by the cybersecurity company, but not before the company’s share price took a dive of more than ten percent and customers began thinking about alternatives.
Crowdstrike’s Response to the Crisis
Crowdstrike’s Falcon endpoint solution is an expensive, top-of-the-line cybersecurity defense that’s deployed widely. In statements, the company emphasized that the problem originated in a content update and was not a cyberattack or security breach. While some systems recovered with a subsequent update, systems secured by encryption, including the widely used BitLocker, required time-consuming hands-on intervention.
Trinidad and Tobago’s Telecommunications Providers Stay Unaffected
Responding to questions on the matter, Flow’s Country Manager, Simone Martin-Sulgan, made the following statement: “Our residential and corporate telecommunications services were not affected. Some of the internal systems used to serve our customers were impacted in the early hours of the morning at the start of the outage, affecting our ability to complete some transactions, but we are happy to report they are already fully functional.”
Colin Greaves, corporate communications lead at Digicel, said that, “Digicel does not use the IT or cybersecurity software that has been experiencing issues worldwide. Digicel’s services remained unaffected and continue to function as they should.”
Some of our stores, however, experienced issues with their point of sale terminals when attempting to accept card payments, as some local banks have been affected by the issue. Our customers have been using our other convenient bill payment methods to ensure that they stay connected. We continue to monitor the situation and provide support as needed.
TSTT’s Services Remain Uninterrupted
“TSTT’s services have not been impacted by the recent global IT issues affecting multiple sectors,” the company said. “At this time, our services to government, business, residential, and mobile customers remain fully operational and uninterrupted.” “We are actively monitoring the situation as it develops to assess any potential impact on our vendors and stakeholders. Rest assured that we are prepared to take necessary action to ensure the reliability, continuity, and security of our services.”
Conclusion
In conclusion, Trinidad and Tobago’s IT sector has demonstrated its resilience in the face of global cybersecurity challenges. While some local businesses may have experienced minor disruptions, the country’s telecommunications providers have remained unaffected, ensuring continued connectivity and service to customers.
FAQs
* Q: What was the cause of the Crowdstrike update issue?
A: The issue was caused by a content update, which was not a cyberattack or security breach.
* Q: How did Trinidad and Tobago’s telecommunications providers respond to the crisis?
A: Flow and Digicel both reported that their services were not affected and continued to function as usual.
* Q: Are there any concerns about the reliability of Trinidad and Tobago’s telecommunications services?
A: No, TSTT has assured that its services remain fully operational and uninterrupted, and the company is monitoring the situation to ensure the reliability, continuity, and security of its services.