Microsoft is facing complaints that it has suddenly suspended developer accounts for popular open-source projects, VeraCrypt and WireGuard. This move is preventing them from releasing important software updates. Mounir Idrassi, the developer behind VeraCrypt, a free disk encryption software, wrote in a forum post that “Microsoft ended the account I have used for years to sign Windows drivers and the bootloader.”
A Microsoft developer account is essential for certifying third-party drivers for Windows 10 and 11. Without this certification, the operating system flags the driver as unsigned and prevents it from loading. Idrassi has not received any explanation for the suspension, and it appears he cannot challenge the decision. “Linux and macOS updates can still be done, but Windows is the platform most users use, so not being able to release Windows updates is a big problem for the project,” he stated.
Idrassi is not alone. Jason Donenfeld, the creator of the WireGuard VPN protocol, is experiencing the same issue. “Indeed, I cannot sign drivers, which means I cannot send out updates for WireGuard for Windows. If there were a critical security flaw to fix right now (there isn’t! I’m just speaking hypothetically), then users would be completely exposed,” he told PCMag in an email.
Donenfeld encountered the problem about two weeks ago while trying to certify a new WireGuard kernel driver for Windows. However, Microsoft’s partner portal website mysteriously indicated his account was deactivated without giving a reason.
Donenfeld eventually found a Microsoft appeals process, but he learned it takes 60 days to get a response. His company, Edge Security, also took to social media, urging Microsoft to resolve the issue. It seems the growing number of complaints motivated Microsoft to act. Donenfeld later told us: “I’m talking to Microsoft, and they’re sorting it out. Hopefully, it will be fixed soon.”
Earlier today, Windscribe tweeted that Microsoft had also suspended its own verified account. They stated, “We’ve been trying to fix this for over a month and getting nowhere. Support is terrible. Does anyone know a capable human at Microsoft who can help?”
Scott Hanselman, a VP and Member of Technical Staff at Microsoft/GitHub, responded to Windscribe’s tweet, saying, “Should be fixed soon,” and added, “We’ve been sending everyone emails since October 2025.”
Hanselman pointed to a Microsoft blog post stating that, starting in October, the company began requiring “mandatory account verification for all partners in the Windows Hardware Program,” which includes certifying software drivers. Last month, the company updated the post to say: “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 allowed.”
So, it’s possible this policy led to the account suspensions. However, Donenfeld told PCMag that his account had already completed the verification process but was still suspended. This strange situation threatens to harm Microsoft’s reputation while sparking a debate about whether tech giants have too much power over their software ecosystems.
Donenfeld suspects bureaucracy is the problem. “I’m in contact with the people there, and it seems like they’re very aware of this mess and are fixing it systematically. It’s one of those situations where bureaucracy got out of hand, and so they’re figuring it out,” he told PCMag.
On X, Hanselman argued that sometimes it’s just about checking emails and verifying accounts. “Not every ‘WTF micro$oft’ moment is a slam dunk,” he tweeted. “I’ve emailed VeraCrypt personally, and we’ll get him unblocked. I’ve already talked to Jason at WireGuard. Not everything is a conspiracy; sometimes it’s literally paperwork.”
