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Microsoft Confirms that Russian Espionage Agents Infiltrated its Network.
Microsoft has acknowledged a significant cybersecurity breach, confirming that Russian espionage agents infiltrated its network, extracting source code and penetrating internal operations. The company has described the situation as an active security challenge.
In a recent communication with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Microsoft offered additional insights into the January-reported breach.
Initially, Microsoft reported that a Russian group, known as Midnight Blizzard, Cozy Bear, or APT29, had accessed a minimal number of corporate emails, extracting confidential communications and documents from senior executives, as well as cybersecurity and legal staff.
At the outset, Microsoft assured that there was no indication of the intruders accessing customer data, operational systems, source code, or AI technologies.
However, the narrative has evolved.
Recent findings suggest that Midnight Blizzard has leveraged the data harvested from Microsoft’s email servers to orchestrate or attempt further unauthorized intrusions. This includes infiltrating certain source code repositories and internal systems.
Despite these developments, Microsoft asserts that there is still no sign of the attackers breaching any systems that directly affect customers.
The company has recognized that Midnight Blizzard is actively employing various confidential details uncovered during their operations. These include sensitive information exchanged via email between Microsoft and its clients. As such discoveries are made, Microsoft is proactively contacting affected customers to guide them through protective measures.
The breach, which commenced in November through password spray attacks targeting an account lacking multi-factor authentication, remains under investigation. The intensity of these attacks reportedly surged in February, with a tenfold increase in attempts compared to January.
Microsoft’s latest SEC filing has raised more questions than it has answered, according to Adam Meyers of CrowdStrike. He expressed concerns over Microsoft’s national security implications, citing ongoing issues with Azure’s authentication processes.
Meyers highlighted that the recent breaches by Chinese and Russian entities, particularly the latter facilitated by sensitive Microsoft credentials, cast doubt on the company’s ability to secure its systems against Cozy Bear.
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