The US Government Has a Microsoft Problem

In the last few years, Microsoft has faced widespread criticism following recent repeated cybersecurity breaches by foreign government hackers. Despite this criticism, however, the company remains largely insulated from government accountability and remains the US government’s most important technology supplier. A recent report by the Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) criticized Microsoft for systematically failing to prevent attacks by Chinese government-linked hackers, compromising sensitive government data. Microsoft’s dominance in the software market raises critical concerns about the government’s dependence on a single vendor for critical services, potentially making it easier for such attackers to focus on a single company’s products. Efforts to reduce the government’s reliance on Microsoft and promote greater software diversity is further gaining attention from policymakers.