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Russian hackers breached key Microsoft systems

Microsoft says its systems were accessed by Russian state-backed attackers. (Getty Images via CNN Newsource) Microsoft says its systems were accessed by Russian state-backed attackers. (Getty Images via CNN Newsource)
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Russian state-backed hackers gained access to some of Microsoft鈥檚 core software systems in a hack first disclosed in January, the company said Friday, revealing a more extensive and serious intrusion into Microsoft鈥檚 systems than previously known.

Microsoft believes that the hackers have in recent weeks used information stolen from Microsoft鈥檚 corporate email systems to access 鈥渟ome of the company鈥檚 source code repositories and internal systems,鈥 the tech firm said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Source code is coveted by corporations 鈥 and spies trying to breach them 鈥 because it is the secret nuts and bolts of a software program that make it function.

Hackers with access to source code can use it for follow-on attacks on other systems.

Microsoft first revealed the breach in January, days before another Big Tech company, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, said the same hackers had breached its cloud-based email systems. The full extent and exact purpose of the hacking activity isn鈥檛 clear, but experts say the group responsible has a history of wide-ranging intelligence gathering campaigns in support of the Kremlin.

The hacking group was behind the infamous breach of several U.S. agency email systems using software made by U.S. contractor SolarWinds, which was revealed in 2020. The hackers had access for months to the unclassified email accounts at the departments of Homeland Security and Justice, among other agencies, before the spying operation was discovered.

U.S. officials have attributed the hacking group to Russia鈥檚 foreign intelligence service. Russia denied involvement in the operation.

In the years since the 2020 hack, the Russian hackers have continued to break into widely used tech firms as part of their espionage campaigns, according to U.S. officials and private experts. In the activity described Friday, the hackers may be using the information it stole from Microsoft 鈥渢o accumulate a picture of areas to attack and enhance its ability to do so,鈥 the company said in a blog post that accompanied the SEC filing.

鈥淭o date we have found no evidence that Microsoft-hosted customer-facing systems have been compromised,鈥 Microsoft said.

This is a developing story. It will be updated.

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