Microsoft accuses China of cyber attacks targeting infectious disease researchers in particular
According to Microsoft, a group based in China and with state backing has taken advantage of previously unknown vulnerabilities in the American company's business email system.
(illustration) Drew Angerer GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP
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Cyber attacks against companies, large groups such as SMEs, are not weakening.
The latest was detected Tuesday, March 3 by Microsoft, which accuses the Chinese of cyberattacks against Exchange, its professional email software.
They would have targeted infectious disease researchers, among others.
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According to the computer giant Microsoft,
the hackers
belong to a group called "
Hafnium
", which would have the support of the Chinese state.
He is a "
highly qualified actor
" who has "
sophisticated
"
techniques
, explains on his blog Tom Burt, Microsoft's vice president in charge of security.
To support his assertions, he cites the profile of the victims, the tactics and the procedures employed.
The hackers would thus have used as a gateway four vulnerabilities in different versions of Microsoft Exchange software, which have not yet been detected or documented.
It is these security flaws that have allowed hackers to trace users' mailboxes.
Still according to Microsoft,
the attacks would target infectious disease researchers
, law firms, higher education institutions or defense contractors.
Among its victims, there are also NGOs and think tanks.
In response, Microsoft released a patch for the four vulnerabilities in question.
But he declined to say how many successful attacks.
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To read also
:
Cyber attacks: how far will the threat go?
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