Extensive cyberattack by unknown hackers has targeted Microsoft software, raising concerns at an international level. As reported by Bloomberg, cybersecurity analysts warn of serious breaches that could potentially affect thousands of organizations worldwide.
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Microsoft: Emergency security update for customers
Microsoft, based in Redmond, Washington, announced that it has released an emergency security patch for its customers. The update concerns SharePoint servers and aims to limit the active attacks that have been identified on them. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) confirmed it is aware of the incident, noting that hackers gained access to file systems and could execute remote code through networks.
Cybersecurity experts emphasize that the breach could have widespread impact. Silas Cutler, a researcher at Michigan-based company Censys, estimates that more than 10,000 organizations using SharePoint are at risk, with the US holding the lion’s share, followed by the Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Canada.
Cyberattack incidents have multiplied recently
According to the Washington Post, the attack affected US state and local services, universities, energy companies, as well as a major telecommunications company in Asia, according to sources in government agencies and independent researchers. Microsoft is under pressure as cyberattack incidents have multiplied recently. In March, the company had warned that Chinese hackers were targeting remote management tools and cloud applications for espionage against companies and organizations in the US and abroad.
Finally, the Cyber Safety Review Board — the independent team established by the White House — characterized Microsoft’s security policy as “inadequate” following the 2023 Exchange Online mailbox breach, during which intruders had gained access to 22 organizations and hundreds of individuals, including former US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
