Tech giant, Microsoft (MSFT.O) has disclosed that the Russian state-sponsored hacking group Midnight Blizzard had made further attempts to breach its systems. This revelation comes after the group successfully hacked into Microsoft’s corporate email systems in January, stealing crucial information.
Midnight Blizzard, also known as Nobelium, managed to infiltrate Microsoft’s corporate email systems during the January attack, extracting emails and documents from staff accounts.
This recent incident underscores the persistent threat posed by state-sponsored hacking groups and the ongoing challenges faced by technology companies in safeguarding their systems against such attacks.
Microsoft, in a statement on its blog, stated that evidence suggests Midnight Blizzard is now utilizing the information obtained in January to seek unauthorized access to the company’s systems once again.
Among the data accessed are some of Microsoft’s source code repositories and internal systems, according to the company’s announcement. Following this news, Microsoft’s shares experienced a slight decline.
The company highlighted the aggressiveness of the hackers in their recent attempts, noting an increase in the use of ‘password sprays.’ This method involves using the same password across multiple accounts in hopes of gaining unauthorized access. Microsoft reported a tenfold increase in such attempts compared to the January attack.
Microsoft emphasized its efforts to assist customers whose information might have been compromised, reaching out to them to take necessary mitigating measures. However, the company reassured that there is no evidence to suggest any compromise of its customer-facing systems.
The Russian embassy in Washington has not yet responded to inquiries regarding Microsoft’s statements concerning the Midnight Blizzard attack.