Microsoft lays off employees in security, experiences and devices, sales, and gaming — separate from performance cuts

Layoffs and Organizational Changes - Microsoft is laying off employees across multiple organizations including security, experiences and devices, sales, and gaming [1] - The layoffs are described as small but no specific figure was provided [1] - The layoffs are unrelated to the job cuts targeting underperforming employees across the company [1][4] - Employees in the security unit started receiving layoff notifications on Tuesday [3] Security as a Top Priority - Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella emphasized that security is the top priority in a tradeoff scenario [2] - In 2024, Microsoft declared security as its No 1 priority [4] - The company expanded its Secure Future Initiative last year, making security the top priority for every employee [5] - Security has become a core priority in employee performance reviews [5] Background on Security Issues - Microsoft has faced years of security issues, including a "cascade of security failures" that allowed Chinese hackers to access emails from thousands of customers [5] - The security unit is led by Charlie Bell, a former top cloud executive at Amazon, who joined Microsoft in 2021 to lead a revamped cybersecurity effort [3]