FX.co ★ Microsoft Accuses Russian Hackers Of Stealing Source Code And Breaching Internal Systems

Microsoft recently disclosed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it had been hacked by a group suspected to be backed by Russia. The hackers tapped into Microsoft's corporate email system, culled classified information, and used it to infiltrate the company's source code repositories and internal systems.

According to Microsoft, there isn't any evidence yet to suggest that customer-facing systems have been compromised. The firm referred to the hackers as 'Midnight Blizzard' or 'Nobelium' in their report.

The stolen information provides a blueprint for the hackers to further penetrate Microsoft's system and potentially cause harm to their clients. Microsoft has said they are reaching out to those customers who had sensitive information shared with them via email to help them take protective measures.

Previously, the tech giant had acknowledged an attack on its central software systems in early January. Shortly after, Hewlett Packard Enterprise reported a similar breach in its cloud-based email systems, alleging it was the same group of hackers.

The purpose behind these cyberattacks remains ambiguous. The hackers were also implicated in the breach of several U.S. agency email systems in 2020. They allegedly had access to unclassified email accounts at the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Justice, and other government agencies for several months.

While U.S. officials link the hackers to Russia's foreign intelligence service, the Russian authorities deny these claims. In response to these threats, Microsoft assured that it has ramped up its security measures. The company promises to enhance their defenses, reinforce their environment against these sophisticated and sustained threats, and implement supplementary security controls, detections, and monitoring measures.