Australia warned on Microsoft reliance before global outage

Australia's top national security advisor warned months ago that the country's heavy reliance on Microsoft risked a "disproportionate impact" if the tech company suffered an outage, a concern realized during today's widespread service disruption. Home Affairs national security head Hamish Hansford made the warning in August, noting big tech providers underpin national security and the economy. Last week, the government ran a cybersecurity simulation with agencies and Microsoft, and a February review flagged single-seller dependencies as potentially catastrophic. The outage impacted millions of Australians, including the AFP and ASIO. Microsoft secured over $1 billion in federal contracts this year, and the government activated an agreement requiring Microsoft to prioritize Australia's recovery. Officials acknowledged diversification is unrealistic, opting instead for closer ties with the company.