Senator Wyden: Microsoft Is a National Security Threat Due to Cybersecurity Failures

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden has ignited a new storm around tech giant Microsoft. In a letter to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), he labeled the company a “national security threat” due to what he described as gross negligence in cybersecurity.

“An Arsonist Selling Firefighting Services” Wyden accused Microsoft of enabling a string of serious cyberattacks through poor default settings and outdated technologies. He argued that the company holds an effective monopoly over enterprise IT, leaving government agencies and businesses with “no choice” but to rely on products that expose them to risk. As a prime example, Wyden pointed to the ransomware attack on Ascension hospitals in May 2024, which exposed private data of more than 5.6 million people. Investigators found that attackers exploited weaknesses linked to Microsoft’s Bing search engine and support for the outdated RC4 encryption protocol. Wyden likened Microsoft to “an arsonist selling fire services to the victims” – a company that profits from problems it allegedly helps create.

Microsoft Responds: RC4 Is Fading, but Not Overnight Microsoft countered that RC4 now accounts for less than 0.1% of traffic, and the company discourages its use. However, it warned that an immediate shutdown would “break” many legacy systems. Instead, RC4 will be disabled by default starting in 2026, with mitigation measures and warnings offered in the meantime. Wyden, however, argued that the timeline is too slow and already jeopardizes U.S. critical infrastructure.

Criticism of the Court System Microsoft isn’t Wyden’s only target. The senator also urged Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to initiate a full review of federal courts’ cybersecurity. His call came after a hack of the courts’ electronic case management system – the second major breach in five years. Wyden warned that the absence of modern safeguards, such as multi-factor authentication, poses massive risks: Sealed files often include sensitive details on federal witnessesDocuments can expose national security methodsIn the wrong hands, such data could be devastating if exploited by foreign adversaries or criminal cartels According to The New York Times, the most recent breach even targeted documents linked to foreign crime cases.

Rising Political Pressure Wyden’s pressure on Microsoft and federal courts comes as cyberattacks intensify and the protection of critical infrastructure emerges as a central national security issue.

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