{"id":5248,"date":"2025-09-11T06:17:30","date_gmt":"2025-09-11T06:17:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/news\/?p=5248"},"modified":"2025-09-11T06:17:30","modified_gmt":"2025-09-11T06:17:30","slug":"sen-wyden-urges-ftc-probe-into-microsoft-over-alleged-cybersecurity-failures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prepsaret.com\/news\/sen-wyden-urges-ftc-probe-into-microsoft-over-alleged-cybersecurity-failures\/","title":{"rendered":"Sen. Wyden Urges FTC Probe Into Microsoft Over Alleged Cybersecurity Failures"},"content":{"rendered":"

U.S. Democratic Senator Ron Wyden has urged the <\/span>Federal Trade Commission (FTC)<\/span><\/a> to take action against Microsoft over a series of serious <\/span>cybersecurity<\/span><\/a> failures, arguing that the company\u2019s weak security practices put the nation at risk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In a letter dated September 10 to FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson, Wyden accused Microsoft of \u201cgross cybersecurity negligence\u201d and warned that the company\u2019s practices \u201ccontinue to threaten U.S. national security.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Wyden pointed to ransomware incidents affecting critical infrastructure, including hospitals, and said default settings in Microsoft\u2019s software have made organizations more vulnerable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAt this point, Microsoft has become like an arsonist selling firefighting services to their victims,\u201d Wyden wrote, noting that government bodies and businesses have \u201cno choice\u201d but to depend on Microsoft\u2019s products due to its \u201cnear-monopoly over enterprise IT.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

An FTC spokesperson confirmed the agency had received Wyden\u2019s letter but declined to provide additional remarks.<\/span><\/p>\n

Related story: <\/b>Whistleblowers Accuse Meta of Prioritizing VR Profits Over Child Safety in U.S. Senate Hearing<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

The Ascension Attack as a Case Study<\/b><\/h2>\n

The senator highlighted the May 2024 cyberattack against Ascension, one of the country\u2019s largest hospital operators, as a striking example. That breach exposed the medical and insurance information of nearly 5.6 million individuals.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Wyden, Ascension informed his staff that a contractor using one of its laptops clicked on a malicious link served through Microsoft\u2019s Bing search engine.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This allowed attackers to infiltrate Ascension\u2019s systems and eventually compromise its Microsoft Active Directory server, which manages employee accounts.<\/span><\/p>\n

Wyden asserted that Microsoft\u2019s reliance on outdated encryption standards and risky default settings opened the door for such attacks. He also criticized the company for failing to adequately inform customers about steps they could take to strengthen defenses.<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft<\/span><\/a> responded on Wednesday, defending its approach while acknowledging that some older technology remains in use.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A company spokesperson explained that RC4, the encryption method Wyden mentioned, is \u201cless than .1% of our traffic,\u201d and that Microsoft actively discourages clients from using it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHowever, disabling its use completely would break many customer systems,\u201d the spokesperson said. The company added that it is phasing out the technology by gradually restricting its use, offering guidance on safer practices in the meantime.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Microsoft plans to turn off RC4 by default in certain Windows products starting in early 2026, and will implement \u201cadditional mitigations\u201d for systems that still rely on it.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is not Wyden\u2019s first call for scrutiny of Microsoft. In 2023, he also pushed for an investigation after hackers with ties to China gained access to thousands of emails belonging to U.S. officials.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read next: <\/b>Apple Keeps Prices Steady on New iPhones Despite Trump Tariff Pressures<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Want to boost your career and stay competitive in today\u2019s job market?<\/span><\/p>\n

Check out our handpicked certification prep resources designed to sharpen your expertise, make the most of your study time, and give you an edge:<\/span><\/p>\n