Renee Dudley
I am a ProPublica reporter focused on technology, cybersecurity and business.
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I’m interested in the intersection of Big Tech and national security. If you’ve worked in tech or government, or otherwise have tips about this area, please get in touch.
What I Cover
Since last year, I have been reporting on Microsoft and its quest to dominate the cloud computing market, which at times has put corporate profit over customer security. I showed how the tech giant’s business decisions ultimately impacted data privacy and national security. I enjoy taking on issues that have been long ignored because they are not easily understood. I spend hours on calls with sources to unpack complex technical subjects, from esoteric cybersecurity tools to arcane government contracts. Grappling with the material during these discussions helps me to ask questions and write authoritatively.
My Background
I joined ProPublica as a technology reporter in 2018. Always finding a financial angle, I quickly became interested in the business of ransomware, the most pervasive cybercrime of our day. My award-winning 2019 series, “The Extortion Economy,” became the basis for a book I co-authored called “The Ransomware Hunting Team,” published in 2022 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. Before ProPublica, I was a reporter for Bloomberg News and Reuters, where I was a 2017 Pulitzer Prize finalist for a series on the college entrance exam industry. I started my career at daily newspapers in New England and South Carolina, where my work led to the resignation and indictment of the state’s most powerful politician.
Microsoft Chose Profit Over Security and Left U.S. Government Vulnerable to Russian Hack, Whistleblower Says
Former employee says software giant dismissed his warnings about a critical flaw because it feared losing government business. Russian hackers later used the weakness to breach the National Nuclear Security Administration, among others.
Microsoft’s “Free” Plan to Upgrade Government Cybersecurity Was Designed to Box Out Competitors and Drive Profits, Insiders Say
When the White House welcomed Microsoft’s offer of $150 million in tech services, it helped the world’s largest software provider tighten its grip on federal business and freeze out competitors.
Following a Series of Government Hacks, Biden Closes Out His Administration With New Cybersecurity Order
The executive order follows a ProPublica investigation that found Microsoft prioritized profit over security, leaving the federal government vulnerable to the largest hack in U.S. history. Vendors must now demonstrate that their products are secure.
Microsoft Bundling Practices Focus of Federal Antitrust Probe
The Federal Trade Commission has demanded information from Microsoft and interviewed competitors as the agency’s antitrust investigation heats up. The probe follows ProPublica reporting on how the company skirted and potentially violated federal law.
Microsoft President Grilled by Congress Over Cybersecurity Failures
The criticism from members of the House Homeland Security Committee came in response to a ProPublica investigation that found Microsoft repeatedly rebuffed an engineer’s warnings that a product flaw had left millions of users vulnerable to attack.
U.S. Cybersecurity Expert Presses Software Regulation Amid High-Profile Hacks
Recent cyberattacks in the U.S. might have been detected sooner if infected computers had logging software, a feature in premium Microsoft licenses. Former National Cyber Director Chris Inglis says this type of security should already be built in.
How the FBI Stumbled in the War on Cybercrime
In this excerpt from “The Ransomware Hunting Team: A Band of Misfits’ Improbable Crusade to Save the World From Cybercrime,” the authors reveal how unprepared the nation’s top federal law enforcement agency was to combat online crime.
He Felt Isolated and Adrift After an Autism Diagnosis. Can He Make It as a Cybersleuth?
Highly educated autistic people have long found work in tech — but now two Dutch entrepreneurs are training socially isolated autistic dropouts and finding productive jobs for them. The approach could be a model for America.
Why It’s Hard to Sanction Ransomware Groups
The Russia-linked ransomware gang Conti avoided the sanctions that hit Russian banks and businesses after the invasion of Ukraine, spotlighting the difficulty of reining in cybercriminals. Meanwhile, confused victims face uncertainty.
The Colonial Pipeline Ransomware Hackers Had a Secret Weapon: Self-Promoting Cybersecurity Firms
Five months before DarkSide attacked the Colonial pipeline, two researchers discovered a way to rescue its ransomware victims. Then an antivirus company’s announcement alerted the hackers.
The Disinfomercial: How Larry King Got Duped Into Starring in Chinese Propaganda
The broadcasting icon’s fake interview with a Russian journalist went viral on social media, spread by accounts tied to China’s government.
Amazon’s New Competitive Advantage: Putting Its Own Products First
Brands have long been able to bid for the premier slot at the top left of Amazon’s listings, but during the pandemic the online retailer has begun using this position for its private-label items, raising antitrust concerns.