Cybercrime often starts quietly, with access to a single inbox. After compromising an email account, attackers monitored a vendor payment conversation and redirected funds during what appeared to be a routine process change. There were no outages or visible warnings, only a familiar thread and updated bank details. Read more to see how the scheme unfolded and why verifying payment changes through a trusted second channel can prevent funds from being diverted. https://msft.it/6049Q57RR
Microsoft On the Issues
Technology, Information and Internet
Redmond, Washington 92,557 followers
News & perspectives on today's pressing tech issues, AI, sustainability, security and more for #Microsoft. 👇
About us
News and perspectives on the future of tech, public policy and philanthropic topics for #Microsoft. ➡️ https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/
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https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/
External link for Microsoft On the Issues
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- Redmond, Washington
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- technology, government affairs, AI and Data, privacy, cybersecurity, tech news, tech issues, accessibility, diversity and inclusion, sustainability, digital skilling, AI, Affordable Housing, Public Affairs, tech executives, responsible AI, and AI ethics
Updates
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In “Degrees of Change: What AI Means for Education and the Next Generation,” Microsoft CVP and Chief Data Scientist Juan M. Lavista Ferres shares the latest research into the impact of AI on higher education. Swipe for 5 key takeaways from the AI Economy Institute’s first cohort of Fellows: 👥 Human skills remain central 📚 AI literacy is non-negotiable across every discipline 🧠 Education must pivot to higher-order competencies 🤝 Workforce development needs agility and collaboration 🌍 AI skills should expand opportunity, not deepen divides Dive deeper to explore what AI means for education and the next generation: https://msft.it/6046Q5rI0
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Microsoft, working with Europol and industry partners, disrupted Tycoon 2FA, an illicit service responsible for tens of millions of fraudulent emails reaching over 500,000 organizations each month worldwide. The action targeted the infrastructure that helped attackers bypass additional identity checks and take over real accounts. Read more about how this global coordination targeted a major driver of impersonation fraud and why sustained, coordinated action is critical to safeguarding the digital ecosystem. https://msft.it/6042Q5rIj
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Achieving our commitment to match 100% of our annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy is a major milestone for us—we also see it as an opportunity to reflect on what it takes to scale clean power responsibly. In the latest edition of Sustainably Speaking, we explore: 🌍 How clean energy investments are strengthening grids and communities 🔋 Why renewables, nuclear, and carbon removal all matter for the future 📊 The data behind one of the world’s largest corporate clean energy portfolios Read this month’s issue of Sustainably Speaking to go deeper, and subscribe to get each new edition in your feed.
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Connectivity is the foundation of AI participation. In 2022, Microsoft set a clear goal: help drive internet access to 250 million people by 2025. Today, we’ve met and exceeded that commitment, extending internet coverage to 299 million people worldwide, including more than 124 million across Africa. But the work doesn’t stop at access. With 2.2 billion people still offline, and a widening divide in AI adoption, we’re focused on connecting communities and supporting the conditions for adoption; reliable energy, affordable devices, digital skills, and locally relevant solutions. Alongside our global portfolio, we’re leveraging Starlink’s advanced low-Earth satellite constellation to deliver reliable connectivity for AI‑ready infrastructure in hard‑to‑reach communities. This marks a shift from access to adoption and lasting participation in the AI economy. Learn more about what’s ahead: https://lnkd.in/gz6Td7VH SpaceX Cassava Technologies TIZETI Anditel S.A. airJaldi.com Mawingu
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Through the Trusted Tech Alliance, Microsoft and other global technology partners are working together to ensure digital infrastructure is secure, transparent, and resilient—no matter where it’s built or deployed. By setting clear standards for ethical governance, strong security, and open, reliable technology, we’re helping build a digital world that people and businesses can trust. See how: https://msft.it/6049QnFkJ
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AI can accelerate sustainability when we use it to measure impact and manage tradeoffs; all while building trust in the technology itself. Co-produced by Veolia Institute and Microsoft, this new report brings together global expertise on how AI is strengthening energy, water, and waste systems—and what’s required to scale these benefits responsibly. Key findings: 👉 Measurable efficiency gains are already underway 👉 Data quality, governance, and transparency determine whether sustainability benefits endure 👉 Collaboration across sectors is critical to scale impact equitably Read the full report: https://msft.it/6043QnTNv
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Cyber threats don’t stop at borders—and neither can our response. As malicious cyber activity continues to target critical infrastructure, the challenge extends far beyond technology into the realm of global policy and diplomacy. John Hering, Director of Cybersecurity Policy & Diplomacy at Microsoft explains why international frameworks are essential to defining acceptable state behavior online, and how decades of United Nations–led efforts have established norms for responsible cyber conduct. While these rules are having some impact, ongoing attacks against hospitals and healthcare systems show that more investment, cooperation, and accountability are urgently needed. Discover more on why cybersecurity is both a technological and political challenge—and how governments and industry must work together to promote peace and security online: https://msft.it/6043QV5v9
Cyber threats don’t stop at borders
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This week at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, we shared that Microsoft is on track to invest $50 billion by 2030 to expand AI access across the Global South. AI adoption remains uneven, and without coordinated action, these gaps will continue to grow. Our five-part program is designed to make AI diffusion real at scale—helping communities leverage AI, trust it, apply it to local priorities, and drive innovation, with progress they can measure. In India, that includes training 5.6M people in 2025 and setting a goal to equip 20M by the end of this decade, including through Microsoft Elevate for Educators to support 2M teachers across 200,000+ schools. Partnership sits at the center of this work. By collaborating with governments, educators, civil society, researchers, and industry, we can build AI solutions that are inclusive, locally relevant, and trusted—ensuring opportunities are shared widely and equitably. Learn more in the latest blog from Brad Smith and Natasha Crampton: https://lnkd.in/evJwBFgn
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In 2020, we set a clear target: by 2025, match 100% of our annual global electricity consumption with renewable energy. Today, we reached that milestone. Since announcing our moonshot commitment to become carbon negative by 2030, we have contracted 40 gigawatts (GW) of new renewable energy across 26 countries, working with more than 95 utilities and developers and supporting projects that create jobs and investment where they’re built. Why this matters: ✅ It helps bring new clean electricity onto power grids around the world ✅ It signals long-term demand that makes clean energy projects more viable for communities and developers ✅ It shows how large customers can help scale solutions for others Just as important as the milestone is what comes next. After 2025, our focus expands from annual renewable matching to all carbon‑free energy, including technologies that help deliver clean power around the clock, because growing digital infrastructure and a growing global economy demand more than one solution. 🌍 Explore the progress behind our 100% renewable energy benchmark, and what’s next. https://msft.it/6045QVZXH
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