Microsoft explained why the accounts of VeraCrypt and other open services are blocked—due to the negligence of their creators

Microsoft temporarily blocked the accounts of WireGuard and VeraCrypt developers

Under the Windows Hardware Program, Microsoft suspended access to the accounts of two popular open‑source projects: the VPN protocol WireGuard and the disk encryption utility VeraCrypt.

What caused the block?

Microsoft says the issue is related to non‑compliance with account verification requirements, not an attempt to “kill competitors.”

In October last year a new partner verification system was launched: each company must update its legal information, verify its account via corporate email, and provide a government ID. If verification is not completed by the deadline, the account receives a “Rejected” status and is removed from the program.

Developer reaction
- VeraCrypt: the creator stated that Microsoft did not send him any warning emails. Users on X (formerly Twitter) interpreted this as a targeted attack on BitLocker competitor.

- WireGuard: also fell under the same block.

What Microsoft says
Scott Hanselman, vice president and member of technical staff at Microsoft, denied the “conspiracy” and noted:

> “Not everything is a conspiracy; sometimes it’s just paperwork.”

He personally reached out to both teams and promised to help restore their accounts. Hanselman clarified that notifications about the need for verification were indeed sent but may have been lost in inboxes.

Consequences for users
Until the issue is resolved, developers cannot release updates for Windows. This is especially critical for VeraCrypt: most of its users run this OS, and the lack of new releases will “seriously hit the project,” as the team notes.

Bottom line: Microsoft temporarily suspended access to WireGuard and VeraCrypt accounts due to failure to meet verification requirements. The Microsoft team is actively working to restore access, but Windows users remain without the latest updates for now.