Risky Bulletin Srsly Risky Biz: Microsoft forgoes its secure future
Feb 12, 2026
Tom Uren, policy and intelligence editor and author of the Seriously Risky Biz newsletter, analyzes Microsoft’s leadership shift toward selling security products rather than building them. He explores China’s Expedition Cloud cyber range that mimics neighboring infrastructure. He also discusses the surprising scale of cyber’s role in US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
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Microsoft's Security Pendulum
- Microsoft shifted between caring about security and treating it as a secondary concern across decades.
- Tom Uren warns that recent leadership messaging prioritises sales over making products secure, risking long-term harm.
Charlie Bell's Frustrating Tenure
- Charlie Bell joined Microsoft to improve security but faced internal resistance and limited early impact.
- Bell ultimately left after realising top-level political support for security had waned.
Speed Vs. Security Creates Lasting Debt
- Trade-offs between speed and security are persistent, especially around new tech like AI.
- Uren argues profit-driven choices and outsourcing decisions (e.g., to China) create long-term security debt.