Microsoft suspends dev accounts for high-profile open source projects
Source: Bleeping Computer
Microsoft has suspended developer accounts used to maintain multiple high‑profile open‑source projects without proper notification, effectively blocking the publication of new software builds and security patches for Windows users.
Affected Projects
The suspension impacts, among others, the following projects:
- WireGuard – Virtual Private Network (VPN) software
- VeraCrypt – On‑the‑fly encryption (OTFE) utility
- MemTest86 – Random Access Memory (RAM) testing and diagnosis tool
- Windscribe – VPN software
Developer Reactions
“Microsoft terminated the account I have used for years to sign Windows drivers and the bootloader. Microsoft did not send me any emails or prior warnings. I have received no explanation for the termination and their message indicates that no appeal is possible,” — VeraCrypt developer Mounir Idrassi source.
“I have tried to contact Microsoft through various channels but I have only received automated replies and bots. I was unable to reach a human. I cannot publish Windows updates. Linux and macOS updates can still be done but Windows is the platform used by the majority of users and so the inability to deliver Windows releases is a major blow to the project.”
The same experience was shared by developers behind other widely used projects:
- WireGuard – maintainer Jason A. Donenfeld (also discussed on Hacker News)
- Windscribe – developer team (tweet)
- MemTest86 – developer team (tweet)
“No warning at all, no notification. One day I sign in to publish an update, and yikes, account suspended. Currently undergoing some sort of 60‑day appeals process, but who knows. That’s kind of crazy: what if there were some critical RCE in WireGuard, being exploited in the wild, and I needed to update users immediately?” — Jason A. Donenfeld.
Microsoft account suspension message (Jason A. Donenfeld)
Microsoft’s Explanation
After coverage by TechCrunch (WireGuard story and VeraCrypt story), Microsoft Vice President Scott Hanselman said the accounts were automatically suspended because they failed the mandatory account verification required for all partners in the Windows Hardware Program who had not completed verification since April 2024. Microsoft had been emailing “everyone” about this requirement since October 2025.
Verification Process
The verification process was announced in a Hardware Dev Center article published on October 1, 2025:
- Start date: October 16, 2025
- Deadline: 30 days to complete verification
- Consequence: Automatic suspension from the Windows Hardware Program for partners who did not complete verification.
“Account verification for the Windows Hardware Program has now concluded,” Microsoft stated in a March 30 update. “Accounts that did not successfully complete account verification and received a Rejected verification status have been suspended from the Windows Hardware Program, and submissions from these accounts are no longer permitted.”
Responses and Follow‑up
BleepingComputer has not received a direct reply from Microsoft, but Hanselman indicated on X that the issue would be addressed “in a bit,” without explaining why project maintainers were not notified of the suspension.
The developers confirmed subsequent outreach: