Citrix and Sophos have encountered leap year bugs affecting their products, causing unexpected disruptions. Users reported issues with Citrix’s HDX HTML5 Video Redirection Service, disrupting virtualization products crucial for remote work and multimedia applications. A proposed solution involves manually changing the system date and restarting the Citrix service, but this proves impractical for those managing multiple servers. Sophos, on the other hand, warns of security certification validation warnings for HTTPS websites on devices rebooted on February 29th, 2024. The antivirus software’s SSL/TLS decryption setting, when enabled, triggers the bug. Sophos provides detailed solutions for impacted products, emphasizing the importance of user actions to prevent and resolve issues.
The leap year bug extends beyond Citrix and Sophos, causing disruptions globally. Allied Petroleum in New Zealand experienced an outage in self-service fueling stations, and Sweden’s ICA, a leading grocery store retailer, faced difficulties in accepting card payments due to an internal problem caused by the date. Additionally, leap year disruptions reached Japan, affecting driver’s license issuance in four prefectures, prompting authorities to perform an emergency transition to non-impacted systems. The incident underscores the broader impact of leap year bugs on various computer systems worldwide.
