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WireGuard, a major software and VPN project that supports popular security software including Mullvad and others, has found itself locked out of a large portion of Microsoft’s developer account and is unable to send software updates to Windows users.
Jason Donenfeld, the creator of the open source program WireGuard VPN, told TechCrunch that he is locked out of his Microsoft developer account, and therefore cannot sign drivers or ship updates for WireGuard for Windows users, which are necessary for his program to run. Donenfeld said in the post on X Wednesday that the termination of the account stopped WireGuard updates from being sent.
I am second such event of the high-profile and widely used open-source project closed to its customers due to the appearance that the account was suddenly removed from Microsoft, and the popular encryption program VeraCrypt is experiencing a similar situation. Both developers said Microsoft locked them out of their accounts without warning them first.
In the case of VeraCrypt, which is used by hundreds of users to encrypt files and operating systems, its developer Mounir Idrassi he told TechCrunch that being locked out of his account meant he couldn’t update the software in time for the required certificate to expire, which he said could prevent other users from getting started.
Donenfeld, the developer of WireGuard software, told TechCrunch in an email: “If there was a major threat to plan right now – there is none!
WireGuard is an open source VPN software used worldwide to connect devices to the Internet. The WireGuard code is very popular for its simplicity and security, as it serves as the basis for many VPN systems and commercial services that rely on its code, such as Proton and Tailscale.
Donenfeld told TechCrunch in an email that he had spent the past few weeks updating the Windows code for WireGuard and was ready to send the update to Microsoft for review before it was sent to users, but he encountered a “forbidden” error when logging into the developer section of his Microsoft account.
Although he went through the process to verify his driver’s license or passport with Microsoft (the third party Microsoft uses for verification said he was “verified”), Donenfeld said his access was suspended.
Donenfeld told TechCrunch that he found a page on Microsoft’s website stating that the company had been implementing “account verification for all Windows Hardware Program participants who have not completed account verification since April 2024,” but the verification program has been closed.
Microsoft’s Windows Hardware Program allows developers like Donenfeld and VeraCrypt’s Idrassi to “deploy hardware drivers and components for Windows PCs and other devices.” The ability to create and release drivers for Windows users is limited to recognized and tested developers, since drivers can provide access to the operating system and its data and are known as harassed by vandals the reason.
The account verification process meant that developers had to enter their government-issued ID before they were allowed to publish code which would have been very difficult for Windows users.
“Microsoft has never sent me any information about this. I’ve looked in every spam box in every email log, and zero, nothing, zilch,” Donenfeld said.
The Windows Hardware Program verification program “has now expired” and developers who did not upload their documents have had their accounts suspended, the site says, meaning these accounts can no longer submit updates.
Donenfeld said he was referred to Microsoft’s support team, which handles customer service and account requests for seniors, which confirmed his appeal was accepted but had to wait up to 60 days for a review.
By the end of Wednesday, there was little hope in Donenfeld’s case. He told TechCrunch that he has contacted Microsoft and hopefully the issue will be resolved soon.
Microsoft did not immediately respond when reached by TechCrunch.
Donenfeld and Idrassi are not alone, and the account closure issues affect others as well.
Windscript, a maker of VPNs and other consumer privacy tools, said in the post on X that it was also blocked in his Partner Center account. The company said it has a verified account for more than eight years to sign up its drivers.
“We’ve been trying to resolve this for over a month, and we’re getting nowhere. The support just isn’t there,” Windscribe said in a post. “Does anyone know someone with brains who still works at Microsoft and can help?”
