By Paul Thurrott
Publication Date: 2026-02-09 23:00:00
Microsoft today announced two initiatives that it says will help restore user trust in Windows. Both use a “consent-first” approach while making “app and AI agent behavior transparent, decisions reversible, and access limited to clear approved capabilities.”
“Windows must both remain an open platform and be secure by default, protecting the integrity of your experience regardless of the apps installed,” Microsoft distinguished engineer Logan Iyer writes. “Our developers and ecosystem partners echo this need. They have called for stronger, more consistent security foundations in the operating system, [so] Windows is evolving to take more accountability.”
The two initiatives, Windows Baseline Security Mode and User Transparency and Consent, both fall under the Secure Future Initiative and Windows Resiliency Initiative. Together, they establish a more robust security model that advances app transparency and user consent, with features that make app…
