In a recent development, Microsoft disclosed that a group of hackers from China successfully infiltrated the email accounts of approximately 25 organizations, including multiple government agencies. The specific countries and agencies impacted were not revealed by the company. However, Microsoft stated that the primary objective of this hacking group is to target Western governments for espionage purposes. To counter the breach, Microsoft collaborated with the federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to expel the hackers, indicating that U.S. organizations were among the victims. CISA has not yet responded to inquiries for further comment.
According to Microsoft’s report released on Tuesday evening, the cyberattacks began on May 15 and remained undetected until June 16. The hackers primarily sought unauthorized access to email accounts, but Microsoft assures that their access has been terminated.
While Microsoft refrained from confirming whether the hacker group has ties to the Chinese government, it is worth noting that Chinese hackers typically refrain from disrupting their targets and instead concentrate on extensive cyber-espionage activities. They are widely recognized as some of the most prolific cyberspies globally, unlike their counterparts from Russia or Iran.
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Regarding the incident, a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C., did not provide further information. Meanwhile, a spokesperson from the Chinese Foreign Ministry dismissed any allegations of government involvement as “disinformation.”
