When the new rules take effect in less than two months, iPhone handsets will be required to run the two Microsoft apps, the Microsoft Authenticator password manager and Identity Pass app. The software company requires multi-factor authentication to guard against hackers. The new rules will impact hundreds of Microsoft employees who work in Mainland China.
Microsoft employees in China will need to use an iPhone at work|Image credit-Apple
The company has been the target of multiple state-sponsored attacks by hackers. Back in January, an attack linked to Russia affected many U.S. government agencies including the State Department. With U.S. lawmakers putting pressure on Microsoft, the company started the Secure Future Initiative (SFI) company-wide last November. SFI will use AI to help it address vulnerabilities in the cloud faster, make it more difficult for hackers to obtain credentials, and automatically require multi-factor authentication for employees.
And that brings us right back to the internal memo alerting Microsoft workers on the Mainland that they must use an iPhone at work.
