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Cyber

‘A Pile of Sh*t:' Government Reviewers Blasted Microsoft's Cloud Security, Approved It Anyway

2026-03-21

[Breitbart] In late 2024, federal cybersecurity evaluators delivered a troubling assessment of one of Microsoft’s major cloud computing products, yet granted it authorization despite serious security concerns.

ProPublica reports that Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) reviewers found themselves unable to verify the security of Microsoft’s Government Community Cloud High (GCC High) after years of incomplete documentation from the technology giant. According to an internal government report, Microsoft’s “lack of proper detailed security documentation” left reviewers with “a lack of confidence in assessing the system’s overall security posture.” One team member described the authorization package as “a pile of shit.”

The request was routine, according to former FedRAMP team members, who said other major cloud providers like Amazon and Google regularly provided such documentation.

The authorization is particularly significant given Microsoft’s role in two major cyberattacks against the United States government. Russian hackers exploited a Microsoft weakness to steal sensitive data from federal agencies including the National Nuclear Security Administration. Later, Chinese hackers infiltrated email accounts of a Cabinet member and other senior officials through Microsoft systems.

The system relies on U.S. workers with security clearances, known as “digital escorts,” to supervise the Chinese engineers and serve as a firewall against malicious activities. However, ProPublica found that these escorts often lack the advanced technical skills needed to effectively monitor the foreign workers, who possess far greater coding expertise. Some escorts are ex-military with little software engineering experience, earning barely above minimum wage.

While Microsoft claims it has disclosed details of this escort model to the government, former U.S. officials interviewed said they were unaware of the arrangement. Cybersecurity experts were also surprised, noting that this setup presents a prime opportunity for Chinese operatives to infiltrate U.S. networks.

Posted by:Skidmark

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Posted by: ed in texas 2026-03-21 17:59

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Posted by: Besoeker 2026-03-21 00:04

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