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Out of the blue, Microsoft takes down the developer account of VeraCrypt’s lead developer, Mounir IDRASSI, taking out his ability to sign Windows drivers and the bootloader.
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The tech giant sent no prior warning, nor explanation, and sealed off every appeal option, leaving IDRASSI unable to reach a single contact at the organization.
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Window users should expect no new VeraCrypt updates until the firm resolves the situation.
Microsoft just dealt a serious blow to one of the world’s most trusted encryption tools and the open-source community is furious. VeraCrypt (a free open-source disk encryption software), relied on by millions of journalists, activists, security professionals, and privacy-conscious users globally, has hit a critical wall. And the company that built that wall, according to its lead developer, is Microsoft.
On March 30, 2026, Mounir IDRASSI, the principal developer of VeraCrypt, went public with a troubling disclosure. Microsoft had terminated the developer account he used for years to digitally sign Windows drivers and the bootloader. That signing process is not optional. Without it, VeraCrypt cannot function on Windows systems at all.
Microsoft Cuts Off VeraCrypt Developer With Zero Notice
Microsoft gave IDRASSI no heads-up before pulling the plug. The company sent no email, no prior warning, and no explanation whatsoever. When IDRASSI discovered the termination, Microsoft’s account portal delivered a blunt, final verdict.
“Microsoft terminated the account I used for years to sign Windows bootloader and the drivers,” IDRASSI stated publicly. “Microsoft sent me no emails or prior warnings. I received no explanation regarding the termination, and no appeal is possible, according to their message.”
Screenshots IDRASSI shared confirmed how final the decision was. Microsoft’s partner verification portal stated that his organization failed to meet verification requirements, that no appeals remained available, and that his application was closed, pointing him only toward a generic support button with no real resolution in sight.
IDRASSI did not accept this quietly. He reached out through every channel he could find. Microsoft fired back automated replies and chatbots at every turn. “I tried contacting Microsoft through various channels, but only automated replies and bots came back.
I was unable to reach a single human being,” he said. That wall of silence from one of the most powerful technology companies on earth left him completely out of options.
Windows Users Face Immediate Consequences
Without a valid signed certificate, IDRASSI cannot release new Windows versions of VeraCrypt. Linux and macOS updates can still move forward; but Windows dominates global desktop usage and represents the overwhelming majority of VeraCrypt’s user base.
“The inability to deliver Windows releases is a major blow to the project,” IDRASSI acknowledged. The complete absence of due process just drew fierce criticism. Critics argue this represents a dangerous exercise of corporate power over critical open-source infrastructure that millions depend on.
Open-Source Community Erupts in Anger
On X (formerly Twitter), one user stated that killing VeraCrypt updates overnight without any warning was “very on brand,” adding that Microsoft favored controllable encryption over genuinely secure encryption.
Another user, @RsZellie, argued the incident revealed a deliberate pattern: “This is why they want everyone to have a Microsoft account on everything so they can control your lives and punish you when you stand against them.”
Others pointed to Microsoft’s gradual tightening of its ecosystem, with some warning that regulatory frameworks, including those wrapped in child safety language, could eventually justify further crackdowns on independent private software.
Whether an automated review system, a policy shift, or a deliberate internal decision triggered the termination remains unclear. Until Microsoft acts or a real workaround emerges, Windows users will receive no new VeraCrypt updates.
In the meantime, users should remain vigilant against phishing attacks that target their Microsoft credentials, because even if VeraCrypt is secure, a stolen password can bypass encryption entirely.
