Advancing security with Windows and Surface | Microsoft SFI Report Nov 2025
A company-wide commitment to security
As Microsoft continues to make investments in security and reliability and advance the goals of our Secure Future Initiative (SFI), Windows and Surface have advanced our security innovations and capabilities. Today, we published our November 2025 SFI Progress Report, sharing the latest on Microsoft’s company-wide commitment to security. With the equivalent of 34,000 full-time Microsoft engineers focused on advancing protection, resilience and trust, SFI represents the largest cybersecurity effort in digital history.
The latest Windows and Surface innovations reflect SFI’s core principles: Secure by Design, Secure by Default and Secure Operations. These principles are embedded throughout our engineering and customer experience, driving measurable progress and real-world protection. The result: organizations stay productive with minimal disruption, while security is strengthened at every layer.
Windows: advancing security and resilience for every user
Windows continues to prioritize security and resiliency in our latest updates and releases. Recent innovations driven by SFI principles include stronger identity protection, faster recovery from disruptions and seamless security updates that minimize operational impact.
- Passwordless sign-in:
Windows 11 Passkeys and FIDO2 credentials enable secure, convenient authentication without passwords. This approach dramatically reduces the risk of phishing and credential theft, making sign-in simpler and more resilient for users and IT teams.
Learn more about passwordless sign-in and authentication. - Phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (MFA):
Phishing-resistant MFA ensures identity is verifiable and access is accountable, and enforces Zero Trust principles, dramatically reducing account compromise attempts and helping organizations meet regulatory requirements for identity protection. Within Microsoft’s organization, nearly every Microsoft user and device now leverages multi-factor authentication, using phishing-resistant methods.
Learn more about phishing-resistant MFA. - Hotpatch updates:
Windows Hotpatch allows devices to receive security updates without requiring a restart. Users stay productive and compliant, while IT teams maintain security posture with less disruption to daily operations. With Hotpatch, 81% of Microsoft’s enrolled devices become compliant within 24 hours of Patch Tuesday.
Learn more about Windows Hotpatch. - Quick machine recovery:
When a device encounters a boot failure, Windows 11 can automatically initiate a secure, cloud-connected recovery process. This minimizes downtime, enables remote troubleshooting and protects against sophisticated boot-time attacks—helping organizations restore productivity faster.
Learn more about quick machine recovery.
Surface: raising the bar for device security and trust
Surface leads the Windows ecosystem by enabling all recommended Windows security features by default, building new security innovations and making them available to the broader ecosystem. This leadership is reflected in three key areas:
- Industry-leading firmware security:
Surface is leading the development of modern, memory-safe firmware to address common security vulnerabilities like buffer overflows and use-after-free errors—issues that occur when software mishandles memory. In fact, 70% of the security vulnerabilities that Microsoft resolves each year—those assigned a CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures)—are linked to memory safety issues. By leveraging Rust-based UEFI firmware and Secure Embedded Controller designs, Surface is building stronger defenses against sophisticated attacks and supply chain threats, while laying a resilient foundation for the future.
Learn more about Surface and memory-safe firmware. - Safer drivers for stronger devices:
Surface is pioneering the development of Windows drivers in Rust, eliminating memory safety bugs like buffer overflows and use-after-free errors that account for the majority of driver-related security incidents. These advances mean fewer vulnerabilities, more reliable updates and a stronger foundation for every Windows device.
Learn more about the development of Windows drivers in Rust by Surface. - Ecosystem impact and transparency:
Surface’s open-source leadership and collaborative engineering approach mean these security innovations aren’t limited to Surface alone. Through initiatives like the Open Device Partnership (ODP), Surface is sharing firmware and Windows drivers in Rust with OEM partners, raising the bar for device trust and transparency across the Windows ecosystem.
Learn more about the Open Device Partnership.
See the GitHub repositories for Open Device Partnership and Windows drivers in Rust.
Discover the full story: Read the November 2025 SFI Progress Report
To truly understand what’s happening across Microsoft—from our security-first culture and engineering milestones to our overall strategy—explore the November 2025 Secure Future Initiative (SFI) Progress Report.
The report provides a transparent, company-wide view of our measurable progress, cross-team collaboration and the principles guiding every product and service. Whether you’re an IT leader, partner or end user, it’s the definitive resource for seeing how security drives innovation at Microsoft.
Learn more about security innovations at Microsoft Ignite
Ready to go deeper?
There are lots of great security-focused sessions and content at Microsoft Ignite later this November, and Windows and Surface will have security experts on-site to talk with Ignite attendees. You’ll find expert insights, demos and practical guidance on advancing your organization’s security and resilience.
Join us for these sessions, in person or online (session recordings posted on our Ignite page):
- Inside Windows Security, from client to cloud (BRK 258): Join this session to learn about the newest security capabilities across Windows 11 and Windows 365 to protect users and data, including features like password and identity management, protecting against malware, hotpatching, hardware updates and more.
- Resilient by design: How Windows has evolved with new recovery tools (BRK 345): Explore advancements in Windows resiliency and get to know new Windows recovery tools and features designed to restore devices efficiently after unforeseen PC incidents.
- Advancing Windows device security through Surface innovation (BRK 338): Discover how Surface and Microsoft boost Windows device security with memory-safe Rust firmware and drivers, reducing vulnerabilities and improving reliability.