June 4, 2024 at 02:52PM
The Pentagon is increasing its investment in Microsoft despite cybersecurity concerns. Senators Wyden and Schmitt urge the Department of Defense to reconsider this single-vendor approach, pushing for a multi-vendor strategy. They question the use of expensive E5 software licenses, advocate for open-source software, and seek clarification on Microsoft’s promise of enhanced security logs for free.
Key takeaways from the meeting notes are:
1. The Department of Defense (DoD) is increasing its investment in Microsoft products despite concerns about their cybersecurity failings that led to a massive hack by Chinese government spies.
2. US Senators Ron Wyden and Eric Schmitt are seriously concerned about the DoD’s dependence on Microsoft and are advocating for a multi-vendor approach for greater competition, lower long-term costs, and better cybersecurity outcomes.
3. They want DoD CIO John Sherman to answer a series of questions about the E5 proposal, the Pentagon’s plan for ensuring a multi-vendor approach, and efforts to meet the 2018 Cyber Strategy’s directive to increase the use of secure open source software.
4. The senators are also seeking information about the financial support provided to maintain open source projects and whether Microsoft has fulfilled its promise to provide enhanced security logs free of charge to the Pentagon.
These are the important points highlighted in the meeting notes.