This is an unpopular opinion, and I get why – people crave a scapegoat. CrowdStrike undeniably pushed a faulty update demanding a low-level fix (booting into recovery). However, this incident lays bare the fragility of corporate IT, particularly for companies entrusted with vast amounts of sensitive personal information.

Robust disaster recovery plans, including automated processes to remotely reboot and remediate thousands of machines, aren't revolutionary. They're basic hygiene, especially when considering the potential consequences of a breach. Yet, this incident highlights a systemic failure across many organizations. While CrowdStrike erred, the real culprit is a culture of shortcuts and misplaced priorities within corporate IT.

Too often, companies throw millions at vendor contracts, lured by flashy promises and neglecting the due diligence necessary to ensure those solutions truly fit their needs. This is exacerbated by a corporate culture where CEOs, vice presidents, and managers are often more easily swayed by vendor kickbacks, gifts, and lavish trips than by investing in innovative ideas with measurable outcomes.

This misguided approach not only results in bloated IT budgets but also leaves companies vulnerable to precisely the kind of disruptions caused by the CrowdStrike incident. When decision-makers prioritize personal gain over the long-term health and security of their IT infrastructure, it's ultimately the customers and their data that suffer.

About a month ago I got a notification that my subscription had been refunded and then another email that my account was terminated:

You are receiving this email because we have identified suspicious activity on your account. In order to protect our platform, we have refunded and canceled your subscription. You will no longer have access to ChatGPT Plus service.

This was after using the service for two months. I emailed and sent them a message almost immediately since I could prove my identity, but they haven't responded back in almost a month. Their customer support appears to be non-existent.

I keep wanting to sign back up, but I'm still pissed about it. I'm guessing it is because I used a virtual card when I signed up and they don't stay active for very long so I have to create a new one for each month of service. Usually I just get a failed payment notification and update my payment info with a new one which pulls from my bank account.

It sucks not being able to use the service though because it was so helpful at helping with programming tasks and Bard isn't nearly as good. Has anyone had any luck getting through to support?