Overview
- Microsoft said automated enforcement of its Windows Hardware Program verification suspended some developer accounts, which blocked access to driver signing required for loading code in the Windows kernel.
- Maintainers of VeraCrypt, WireGuard, Windscribe, and MemTest86 said they received no warning and only automated replies when appealing, with some told reviews could take up to 60 days.
- After media reports, senior Microsoft leaders contacted affected projects and began reinstating access, and WireGuard’s developer confirmed his account was restored and a Windows driver update was published.
- VeraCrypt’s developer warned that a planned Microsoft certificate authority change in late June could leave some full‑disk encrypted Windows PCs unable to boot if he cannot re‑sign the bootloader and drivers in time.
- The incident shows how critical open‑source tools rely on a single Microsoft Partner account to deliver signed Windows updates, which can delay security fixes and routine releases when that account is suspended.