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US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has blamed Russia for the large-scale cyberattack on federal agencies and companies in the United States.
The perpetrators had tried with great effort to access the government's IT systems via third-party software, Pompeo said on a radio broadcast on Friday.
It is "pretty clear" that Russia is behind these attacks.
Last week, the US government confirmed a large-scale, apparently months-long cyber attack on several authorities.
The attack reportedly targeted the ministries of finance, trade and energy, among others.
Russia denied any involvement in the attack.
The US cybersecurity agency Cisa warned on Thursday of a "serious risk" from the cyber attack.
The attack, which began in March at the latest, was carried out by an "advanced, persistent" actor, said the security authority.
The attackers had shown "perseverance, operational security and complex skills".
The defense against hackers is "extremely complex and challenging".
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The US software company Microsoft informed more than 40 affected customers that most of them are based in the USA.
According to the company, there were also victims of the cyber attack in Belgium, Great Britain, Israel, Mexico, Canada, Spain and the United Arab Emirates.
It is not about "ordinary espionage," said Microsoft President Brad Smith.
The attack created a "serious technological vulnerability for the US and the world".