China Exploits Microsoft Cloud Flaw in Cyberattack on US Government Officials.
Chinese hackers have successfully launched a cyberattack on the email accounts of US government officials, taking advantage of a flaw in Microsoft Cloud, according to reports.
The New York Times states that the attack, carried out by a Chinese group with espionage intentions, went undetected for a month.
The hack targeted the email accounts of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and other officials from the State and Commerce Departments in the weeks leading up to Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken's visit to Beijing in June.
US officials have indicated that the hackers are likely affiliated with China's military or spy services, and an ongoing investigation is currently underway.
However, authorities have downplayed concerns about the theft of sensitive information, asserting that no classified email or cloud systems were compromised. The intrusion was initially discovered by the State Department's cybersecurity team.
Among the targets of the attack was Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who has been a vocal critic of Beijing. Raimondo has implemented stricter export controls on China and has threatened to cut off the country's supply of US semiconductor technology if it provides chips to Russia.
She is expected to visit China later this summer. Officials believe that Raimondo was the only cabinet-level official successfully hacked, as the hackers were unable to access emails in Secretary Blinken's Microsoft 365 account, despite gaining access to other State Department email boxes.
The incident highlights the close relationship between Microsoft and China.
Last month, during a meeting at Beijing's Diaoyutai state guest house, Chinese President Xi Jinping referred to Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates as "an old friend" and expressed optimism for future cooperation between the two nations.
However, it appears that China has exploited this relationship to launch cyberattacks on US government officials.
Conservative commentator Laura Ingraham has raised concerns about the incident, pointing out that despite the US government's significant investment in cybersecurity, Chinese cyberspies were able to exploit a vulnerability in Microsoft's cloud services.
Ingraham notes that Microsoft has had a long-standing relationship with China, becoming the first foreign company to offer public cloud computing services in the Chinese market in 2014.
Furthermore, Microsoft granted the Chinese government access to the source code for its Windows operating system in 2003.
These actions have raised questions about the extent of Microsoft's collaboration with China and its potential impact on US national security.
The cyberattack on US government officials' email accounts underscores the ongoing threat posed by foreign adversaries in the digital realm. As the investigation into this incident continues, it is crucial for the US government and private sector to strengthen their cybersecurity measures to prevent future attacks and safeguard sensitive information.
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