The Windows kernel is about to receive a security-focused redesign after CrowdStrike crash

Why it matters: The kernel space is the core component of a computer operating system, where critical hardware management and device driver code reside in memory. If a kernel-level driver malfunctions, the entire OS can behave erratically – or simply crash and burn with a BSOD. Microsoft has stated that it is working on a significant change to the Windows architecture to help prevent another large-scale incident like the one involving CrowdStrike a year ago.

Microsoft is developing a new security model built around a safer kernel architecture. To strengthen the security of its operating system, the company is partnering with antivirus makers and other security vendors to keep potentially harmful code out of the Windows kernel space. This collaborative effort is part of a broader push to modernize the platform’s core, making it more resilient against low-level threats and software failures.

A faulty update released by the Austin-based cybersecurity company CrowdStrike caused millions of Windows machines to crash worldwide, leading to widespread disruptions across multiple industries. After identifying the source of the issue, Microsoft announced that more permanent, long-term solutions would be implemented to make Windows a more resilient – and, ideally, crash-free – computing platform.

According to Microsoft VP David Weston, the company is now working closely with CrowdStrike, Bitdefender, ESET, Trend Micro, and other major security vendors to develop these long-term solutions. “Dozens” of partners have submitted technical papers, some of which are hundreds of pages long, to detail their requirements for the new platform.

“It’s an industry of competitors, but everyone has stepped up and said, ‘We’ve got to build a platform that all of us can work on,'” Weston said in a recent interview.

This time, Microsoft isn’t interested in imposing a fixed set of rules or APIs for antivirus and security software in Windows. Instead, closer cooperation with vendors is essential to ease the transition from the old, kernel-based paradigm to the new model. Without this collaboration, enforcing the new approach across the antivirus industry would be a significant challenge.

The infamous BSOD is getting a black makeover, too.

Weston confirmed that some of the most knowledgeable Windows engineers are working on the changes to the operating system. Key developers of the Windows kernel and people who usually don’t work in security are involved in the effort, alongside contributors from third-party companies.

Microsoft plans to provide a number of private Windows builds to its partners, allowing them to evaluate the new code and request changes as needed. While the company acknowledges that the new model may not resolve all kernel-related reliability issues, it remains optimistic about the direction it’s taking. Microsoft developers have also engaged with game studios to discuss kernel-level drivers for anti-cheating engines and expect to share further updates on the topic in the near future.