A hacker group with ties to China is behind at least some of the attacks on Microsoft's SharePoint servers, Google said on Monday. Reuters reported that the attack, which was discovered over the weekend, affected about 100 different organizations.
Reuters emphasized that it was unclear who was responsible for the attacks, but Google attributed responsibility for at least some of them to an entity linked to China. The Chinese embassy in Washington did not respond to a request for comment. Beijing denied any connection to the hacking attacks.
On Saturday, Microsoft issued a warning about attacks on SharePoint servers. This software is used by companies and institutions as a secure place to store and share documents, as well as collect and transmit information. Microsoft urged users to install security updates. The attack did not affect SharePoint Online in the cloud.
The Washington Post reported that hackers exploited a “significant software vulnerability.” The newspaper said the security of U.S. federal and state agencies, as well as universities, energy companies, and an Asian telecommunications company, was compromised.
Reuters reported, citing organizations that helped uncover the attack, that as many as 100 entities may have been affected. According to The Shadowserver Foundation, most of them are from the US and Germany. Among the victims were government entities. The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was aware of the case and was “working closely with partners in the government and the private sector.”
From Washington, Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP)
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