CrowdStrike a company representative emphasized their message of “thank you” to the cybersecurity community, underlining their dedication even as they managed the fallout from their global incident.
Acceptance of “Most Epic Fail” Award CrowdStrike
The climax of CrowdStrike’s week at Def Con was when Michael Sentonas, the company’s president, took the stage to accept the “Most Epic Fail” award at the Pwnie Awards. This annual event humorously recognizes both the successes and failures in the security industry. The “Most Epic Fail” award, added at the last minute, acknowledged the far-reaching impact of CrowdStrike’s recent software update failure. Sentonas was met with loud cheers from the audience, who respected his decision to face the situation head-on.
Sentonas’ Candid Speech
In his acceptance speech, Sentonas spoke with honesty and humility. He began by acknowledging the gravity of the situation, stating, “This is not an award to be proud of receiving,” as he accepted the oversized trophy. He expressed that his team was surprised by his immediate willingness to accept the award, emphasizing the importance of owning both successes and failures. Sentonas reiterated, “We got this wrong; we’ve said that many times. You should own it when you do things right and also own up to them when they go bad.”
A Reminder for the Future CrowdStrike
Sentonas announced his intention to display the trophy prominently at CrowdStrike’s headquarters as a constant reminder of the company’s commitment to its core values. He concluded his speech by stressing, “Our goal is to protect people; we got this wrong and want to make sure everybody understands these things can’t happen.”
CrowdStrike Community Reaction and Moving Forward
The cybersecurity community largely supported CrowdStrike’s acceptance of the “Most Epic Fail” award. Many attendees appreciated Sentonas’ transparency, viewing it as a sign of the company’s commitment to learning from its mistakes and improving its processes moving forward.
This incident highlights the pressures faced by cybersecurity companies to maintain high standards while adapting to rapidly evolving threats. CrowdStrike’s approach, combining humility with a steadfast commitment to improvement, may serve as a model for other companies recovering from significant setbacks. As moves forward, the lessons learned from this experience will likely reinforce their dedication to providing world-class cybersecurity measures, ensuring they continue to protect clients globally. The “Most Epic Fail” award, while a symbol of past errors, may also become a catalyst for future success.
