Microsoft says it will give DARPA on-site access to its latest quantum computing hardware, including the Majorana 2 chip, at its new Maryland research center (Stephen Nellis/Reuters)

Microsoft has announced that it will provide the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) with direct, on-site access to its latest quantum computing hardware at a new research center in Maryland. This hardware includes the Majorana 2 chip, according to Reuters.

The arrangement allows DARPA to access Microsoft's quantum computing technology at its new facility.

There is no connection between this announcement and other reports about a security researcher, NightmareEclipse, who has found a way to prevent Microsoft Defender Antivirus from updating itself. This separate issue involves a proof-of-concept tool called “BigDiskBuster”.

Brief written by urgent.news from Techmeme, The Register Science, The Register — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.