Microsoft is facing complaints that it mysteriously suspended developer accounts used by the free, open-source disk encryption software Veracrypt and the VPN protocol WireGuard, preventing them from rolling out software updates.
In a forum post, VeraCrypt developer Mounir Idrassi wrote that “Microsoft terminated the account I have used for years to sign Windows drivers and the bootloader.”
A Microsoft developer account is required to certify third-party drivers for Windows 10 and 11 software. Otherwise, the OS will flag it as an unsigned driver and block it from loading at the kernel level. Idrassi hasn’t received an explanation for the suspension, and it doesn’t appear he can appeal the decision.
“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,” he says.
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It turns out Idrassi isn’t alone. The creator of WireGuard, Jason Donenfeld, is facing the same problem. “Indeed, I cannot sign drivers, which means I cannot ship updates for WireGuard for Windows. If there were a critical vulnerability to fix right now (there isn’t! I just mean hypothetically), then users would be totally exposed,” he told PCMag in an email.
Donenfeld encountered the issue about two weeks ago while preparing to certify a new WireGuard kernel driver for Windows. However, Microsoft’s partner portal website mysteriously said his account had been deactivated, without specifying why.
(Credit: Jason Donenfeld)
Donenfeld eventually stumbled on a Microsoft appeals process, but he learned it takes 60 days for a response. His company, Edge Security, also took to social media, urging Microsoft to fix the problem. It looks like the mounting complaints motivated Microsoft to act. Donenfeld later told us: “I’m talking to Microsoft and they’re sorting it out. Hopefully will be resolved soon.”
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Earlier today, Windscribe tweeted that Microsoft had also suspended its own verified account, and has “been trying to resolve this for over a month, and getting nowhere. Support is non-existent. Anyone know a human with a brain that still works at Microsoft and can help?”
Scott Hanselman, a VP and Member of Technical Staff at Microsoft/GitHub, responded to Windscribe’s tweet, saying, “Should be fixed in a bit,” and added, “We’ve been sending everyone emails since October 2025.”
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Hanselman pointed to a Microsoft blog post noting that, starting in October, the company began requiring “mandatory account verification for all partners in the Windows Hardware Program,” which also covers 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 permitted.”
So it’s possible the policy led to the account crackdown. However, Donenfeld told PCMag his account had already gone through the verification process, but still received a suspension. The odd situation threatens to hurt Microsoft’s reputation while sparking debate over whether tech giants have too much control over their software ecosystems.
Donenfeld suspects bureaucracy is to blame. “I’m in contact with the people there, and it seems like they’re very on top of this snafu and are fixing it systematically. One of those situations of bureaucracy getting out of hand, and so they’re figuring it out,” he told PCMag.
On X, Hanselman countered that sometimes it’s just a matter of checking emails and verifying your 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.”
About Our Expert
Michael Kan
Senior Reporter
Experience
I’ve been a journalist for over 15 years. I got my start as a schools and cities reporter in Kansas City and joined PCMag in 2017, where I cover satellite internet services, cybersecurity, PC hardware, and more. I’m currently based in San Francisco, but previously spent over five years in China, covering the country’s technology sector.
Since 2020, I’ve covered the launch and explosive growth of SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service, writing 600+ stories on availability and feature launches, but also the regulatory battles over the expansion of satellite constellations, fights with rival providers like AST SpaceMobile and Amazon, and the effort to expand into satellite-based mobile service. I’ve combed through FCC filings for the latest news and driven to remote corners of California to test Starlink’s cellular service.
I also cover cyber threats, from ransomware gangs to the emergence of AI-based malware. Earlier this year, the FTC forced Avast to pay consumers $16.5 million for secretly harvesting and selling their personal information to third-party clients, as revealed in my joint investigation with Motherboard.
I also cover the PC graphics card market. Pandemic-era shortages led me to camp out in front of a Best Buy to get an RTX 3000. I’m now following how President Trump’s tariffs will affect the industry. I’m always eager to learn more, so please jump in the comments with feedback and send me tips.
