Senator Wyden Calls for FTC Investigation into Microsoft’s Cybersecurity Practices

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has raised alarms over Microsoft’s cybersecurity practices, urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to dive into what he describes as substantial negligence. The senator’s primary concern is the tech giant’s perceived role in a wave of ransomware attacks, significantly affecting sectors critical to the U.S. economy, especially healthcare.

Pointing to statistics from the Director of National Intelligence, Wyden highlights a concerning surge in ransomware incidents globally, leaping 15% from 2023 to 2024, with the U.S. housing half of these attacks. The link? The omnipresence of Microsoft’s Windows, a staple OS for businesses and governments. Many of these organizations stick to default settings, putting them at the mercy of Windows’ security configurations.

Healthcare Hits and Microsoft’s Response

A notable case involves Ascension, a major U.S. non-profit healthcare provider. This organization’s network suffered a ransomware breach in February 2024 after an employee inadvertently clicked a malicious link in Microsoft’s Edge, propagating malware and compromising sensitive data of 5.6 million patients.

The method? Exploiting the RC4 encryption protocol, which remains active despite years of warnings. Microsoft has stated RC4 is now used sparingly but plans to disable it more broadly by 2026. However, Wyden contends that these steps are too late, with numerous breaches still occurring, partly enabled by Microsoft’s security lapses.

Wyden argues that these oversights, especially given Microsoft’s near-monopoly in enterprise software, pose a hefty risk to national security. He believes the FTC should scrutinize whether such negligence amounts to unfair business practices, potentially holding Microsoft accountable for the ripple effects of its cybersecurity decisions.

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