In response to the rapidly evolving threat landscape, tech giant Microsoft is set to block its staff in China from accessing corporate resources using Android phones, and has announced plans through an internal memo to provide iPhone 15 units as a one-time purchase.
Slated to take effect in September, the mandate will enforce the use of the Microsoft Authenticator password manager and Identity Pass app, both of which are unavailable in China where Google mobile services are banned.
Despite brands like Huawei and Xiaomi operating their own app store platforms, Microsoft will only be allowing access to devices running the iOS operating system and app store.
The move is part of the larger overarching Secure Future Initiative (SFI) announced by Microsoft in November last year, and expanded further in May.
With new security policies in place, Microsoft aims to “reduce the risk of unauthorized access by implementing and enforcing best-in-class standards across all identity and secrets infrastructure, and user and application authentication and authorization.”
In a statement by Microsoft Security Executive Vice President Charlie Bell, the recent findings by the Department of Homeland Security’s Cyber Safety Review Board (CSRB) regarding the Storm-0558 cyberattack from July 2023, and the Midnight Blizzard attack that Microsoft reported in January, underscore the severity of the threats faced by the company and its customers.
“Microsoft runs on trust and this trust must be earned and maintained. As a global provider of software, infrastructure, and cloud services, we feel a deep responsibility to do our part to keep the world safe and secure. Our promise is to continually improve and adapt to the evolving needs of cybersecurity. This is job number one for us,” the statement reads.