Understand what the “blue screen of death” is, the first sign of the cyber blackout

Numerous computers running Windows presented the popular “blue screen of death” problem this Friday (19). The crash of Microsoft’s operating system was the first sign of a cyber blackout that hit several companies and countries around the world and caused, among other problems, the cancellation of thousands of flights.

The blue screen is a condition that indicates a Windows crash and is not related to any specific condition, as explained to CNN the specialist in electronic security and master in electronic systems from the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo (USP) Marcelo Lau. This means that the blue screen has no particular relationship with cyber blackouts because it usually appears whenever there is any problem with the system’s functioning.

“Any and all situations that cause a breakdown in the Windows operating system — whether in hardware or software — generate a blue screen,” said the professor at the Faculty of Informatics and Administration Paulista (FIAP).

The blue screen problem was widely associated with the cyber blackout precisely because Friday’s outage did not affect other operating systems, such as Linux, Apple’s iOS or Google’s Android. In other words, where there was a failure, there was a blue screen.

“Windows is not the only operating system in the world, but it is widely used, which directly affects workstations and servers,” explained Lau.

What does Microsoft say about blue screen?

Microsoft’s official website indicates that the blue leash problem may appear whenever any serious issue causes Windows to shut down or restart unexpectedly.

“Windows has been turned off to prevent damage to the computer”, says the message that appears on the blue screen.

What to do in case of a blue screen?

Microsoft gives some instructions on how to solve your computer problem if a blue screen appears on your monitor.

The first is to check whether the crash occurred immediately after adding any hardware, such as keyboards, cameras or mice, to the device. If this is the case, the recommendation is to remove the accessory and try to restart the computer. Two options, if the problem persists, are:

• Start the system in safe mode;
• Check for updates via Windows Update.

If the blue screen still persists, Microsoft recommends using the Get Help function. Follow the steps below:

• Open Get Help;
• Type “Troubleshoot BSOD error”;
• Follow the step-by-step instructions indicated in the application.

See photos of the cyber blackout around the world