SolarWinds hack was 'largest and most sophisticated attack' ever: Microsoft president
A hacking campaign that used a US tech company as a springboard to compromise a raft of US government agencies is “the largest and most sophisticated attack the world has ever seen,” Microsoft Corp President Brad Smith said.
The operation, which was identified in December and that the US government has said was likely orchestrated by Russia, breached software made by SolarWinds Corp, giving hackers access to thousands of companies and government offices that used its products.
The hackers got access to emails at the US Treasury, Justice and Commerce departments and other agencies.
Cybersecurity experts have said it could take months to identify the compromised systems and expel the hackers.
“I think from a software engineering perspective, it’s probably fair to say that this is the largest and most sophisticated attack the world has ever seen,” Smith said during an interview that aired on Sunday on the CBS program “60 Minutes.”
The breach could have compromised up to 18,000 SolarWinds customers that used the company’s Orion network monitoring software, and likely relied on hundreds of engineers.
“When we analyzed everything that we saw at Microsoft, we asked ourselves how many engineers have probably worked on these attacks. And the answer we came to was, well, certainly more than 1,000,” Smith said.
US intelligence services said last month that Russia was “likely” behind the SolarWinds breach, which they said appeared to be aimed at collecting intelligence rather than destructive acts.
(Source: Reuters)
Crude prices fall on possible ceasefire in Lebanon
Breaking up Google an option being considered by US, report shows
Boycott on Israel helped Arabs revive their economies: Analysis
From Iraq to Gaza: The great disconnect between British people and rulers
Syria condemns Israel's killing of 36 in 'horrific' strike on Palmyra
Iran rejects UN human rights resolution as politically-motivated, unjustified
US Senate rejects bids to halt military sales to Israel
US veto of Gaza resolution 'license' for more Israeli crimes: Tehran
Iran urges IAEA Governors Board to oppose E3’s anti-Iran resolution
Nov. 20: ‘Axis of Resistance’ operations against Israeli occupation
VIDEO | Iran celebrates National Hero Day, honoring Martyr Qassem Soleimani
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
