Microsoft Security Team Detects Nation-State Cyber Attack by Russian Hackers, Impacting US Government Departments
The Microsoft Security Team has been on high alert this year as they detected a nation-state cyber attack by Russian hackers targeting the company’s corporate email systems. Identified as Midnight Blizzard, the hacking group has now impacted two US government departments, the US Department of Veterans Affairs and an arm of the US State Department.
According to a recent report by Bloomberg, these government departments are among a growing list of Microsoft customers who have been affected by the breach. A spokesperson from the US Agency for Global Media stated that Microsoft notified them a few months ago about the potential theft of their data.
While no security or sensitive personally identifiable data was compromised, the State Department’s agency providing news and information in restricted press countries is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security to address the issue. The Department of Veterans Affairs also confirmed in March that they were impacted by the breach.
Microsoft disclosed the breach in January, warning of potential attempts by hackers to exploit shared secrets between them and customers. Hackers used stolen credentials from the accessed emails to break into a test environment on the VA’s Microsoft Cloud account in January.
This latest cyber attack highlights the ongoing threats posed by sophisticated hacking groups and the importance of cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information. The affected government departments are taking steps to address the breach and strengthen their security protocols to prevent future incidents.
