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| Microsoft confirms that its system has been compromised |
Microsoft announced Thursday that the malware in this system has been linked to widespread hacking activity by US officials this week and has added key technical targets to its list of targeted government agencies.
Microsoft is one of the users of the widely used Orion Network Management Software for SolarWinds, which has been used in suspected Russian attacks on large US organizations.
According to Reuters, people familiar with the matter said: Microsoft products have been used to target victims. On Thursday, the National Security Agency released a rare cybersecurity advice detailing how hackers access certain Microsoft Azure cloud services and required users to shut down their systems.
A Microsoft spokesperson said, “Like other SolarWinds customers, we actively seek advice.
A Microsoft spokesperson said, "Like other SolarWinds customers, we are actively looking for signs of a breach and can confirm that we have found the malicious SolarWinds code in the system, isolated it and removed it." He added that the company "did not find any evidence that our system was being used to attack anyone."
One person familiar with the hacking incident said: The hacker used Microsoft's cloud products while avoiding the company's infrastructure. However, another person familiar with the matter said: The US Department of Homeland Security does not believe Microsoft is the primary medium for new infections.
The US Department of Energy also said that the campaign showed evidence that hackers gained access to its network. The Politburo reported earlier that the National Nuclear Security Administration, which manages the country's nuclear weapons stockpiles, was the target of the campaign.
In its Thursday announcement, the Department of Homeland Security said hackers are using various technologies and disabling updates to the SolarWinds network management software used by thousands of companies and government agencies.
The Agency for Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security urges investigators not to assume their organization is insecure with recent versions of SolarWinds, while assuring that hackers will not use every network they visit.
The agency said: It will continue to analyze other methods used by the attackers. Previously, known hackers monitored emails or other data in the US Department of Defense, state, finance, homeland security and commerce.