Microsoft will finally kill obsolete cipher that has wreaked decades of havoc

Microsoft is discontinuing support for the outdated and vulnerable encryption cipher RC4 after 26 years due to a history of devastating hacks exploiting it. Despite being leaked in 1994 and known for its weaknesses, RC4 remained a staple in encryption protocols until recently. Microsoft's default support for RC4 in Windows servers has been a favorite target for hackers, leading to breaches like the one at health giant Ascension. US Senator Ron Wyden criticized Microsoft for cybersecurity negligence, prompting the company to finally deprecate RC4 due to its susceptibility to attacks like Kerberoasting.