Microsoft News roundup: EU antitrust charges over Teams bundling in Microsoft 365, Flight Simulator 15 million player milestone, and a new “GrimResource” security threat

EU antitrust charges for Microsoft over Teams bundling

In a significant development, the European Union has charged Microsoft with antitrust violations related to its bundling of the Teams communication platform with Office 365 and Microsoft 365 suites. The European Commission, the EU’s top antitrust enforcer, expressed concerns that Microsoft may have been “restricting competition” by tying Teams to its core productivity applications.

The commission suspects that Microsoft might have given Teams an “undue advantage” by not offering customers a choice whether to include the app when purchasing other software. This case echoes previous antitrust issues Microsoft faced with Internet Explorer, highlighting ongoing scrutiny of the tech giant’s business practices.

Microsoft has responded to the charges, stating that it has already taken steps to address the dispute. Brad Smith, Microsoft’s President, said, “Having unbundled Teams and taken interoperability steps, we appreciate the additional feedback provided today and will continue to find solutions to address the commission’s remaining concerns.”

Microsoft Flight Simulator reaches 15 million players

On a more positive note for Microsoft, its popular Flight Simulator game has achieved a significant milestone, reaching 15 million players This achievement underscores the enduring appeal of the long-running simulation franchise and its successful transition to modern gaming platforms.

New security threat: GrimResource attack technique

Security researchers have identified a new attack technique dubbed “GrimResource” that exploits Microsoft Management Console (MMC) files. This method leverages specially crafted management saved console (MSC) files to gain full code execution using MMC while evading security defenses.

The technique exploits a cross-site scripting (XSS) flaw in the apds.dll library to execute arbitrary JavaScript code in the context of MMC. Cybersecurity experts warn that this new attack vector could lead to unauthorized access and system takeovers.

As Microsoft navigates these regulatory challenges and security concerns, it continues to innovate and expand its reach in gaming and AI. The coming months will likely see further developments in the EU antitrust case and Microsoft’s response to emerging security threats.