Microsoft’s use of the 'ancient, insecure' encryption technology enables hackers to crack the passwords of privileged accounts, according to Wyden. — AFP
US Senator Ron Wyden says glaring cybersecurity flaws by Microsoft Corp enabled a ransomware attack on a US hospital system and has called on the Federal Trade Commission to investigate.
In a letter sent Wednesday to FTC Chair Andrew Ferguson and reviewed by Bloomberg News, the Oregon Democrat accused Microsoft of "gross cybersecurity negligence”, which he said had resulted in ransomware attacks against US critical infrastructure. The senator cited the case of the 2024 breach at Ascension, one of the nation’s largest nonprofit health systems. The intrusion shut down computers at many of Ascension’s hospitals, leading to suspended surgeries and the theft of sensitive data on more than 5 million patients.
