Another tech/security PSA

[sgt_zim]

Not sure how many of you might have caught this news in the last 4 or 5 days, but it seems at least part of Microsoft was compromised pretty badly by a Russian-supported hacking group that goes by a few different names - Midnight Blizzard and Cozy Bear are 2 of them. This is the same group responsible for the Solar Winds compromise back in 2022

MS has responsibly disclosed, but they still don't know the full extent of the penetration, nor even if the bad guys are still maintaining some sort of presence in their network.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/08/tech/microsoft-russia-hack/index.html

Update on Microsoft Actions Following Attack by Nation State Actor Midnight Blizzard | MSRC Blog | Microsoft Security Response Center

Update on Microsoft Actions Following Attack by Nation State Actor Midnight Blizzard

msrc.microsoft.com

Microsoft admits Russian state hack still not contained. ‘This has tremendous national security implications’

A new SEC rule compels publicly traded companies to disclose breaches that could negatively impact their business.

fortune.com

So far, no MS source code (for operating systems, web servers, database engines, et al) have been reported as exfiltrated, but stay tuned for that.

That's to say nothing of what China has been busy doing for the last probably 10 years or so, embedding spyware (and God only knows what else) in low tech hardware like port cranes, among other things.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/07/politics/congressional-probe-communications-gear-chinese-cranes/index.html

We're still trying to figure out the implications of all this. But,

 

[Woodcarver]

There was another hack of a major health care management company about 3 weeks ago. Ransomware from a Russian state sponsored hacker. My brother works for them, but didn't or couldn't tell me the name of the group responsible. That hack is causing a lot of issues amongst pharmacies and hospitals as the network is having to be completely rebuilt. So if you're having a bit of a problem with prescriptions and hospital/doctor billing, thank Putin.