user transparency and consent

User transparency and consent (UTC) is a new permission model Microsoft is introducing in Windows 11 as part of the Secure Future Initiative and Windows Resiliency Initiative. UTC brings smartphone-style permission prompts to the desktop, requiring explicit user approval before apps or AI agents can access sensitive resources like the camera, microphone, or files. It works alongside Windows Baseline Security Mode (BSM), which enforces a default-deny runtime integrity posture that only allows properly signed binaries to run unless an exception is granted. Together, UTC and BSM represent a shift from Windows' historically permissive security model toward a consent-first, auditable baseline designed to give users greater visibility and control over app behavior.