July 13, 2023

Chinese hackers breached Microsoft-powered email accounts of two dozen government agencies in the U.S. and Western Europe in a “significant” cyberattack, according to Microsoft and U.S. national security officials.

The hackers, who are believed to be working for the Chinese government, used a sophisticated technique to gain access to the accounts. They were able to stay undetected for several months before the breach was discovered. They were able to access a wide range of sensitive information, including email messages, documents, and calendars. It is not yet clear what information they were able to steal.

U.S. Senator Mark Warner, chair of the Select Committee on Intelligence, expressed his concern about the breach, emphasizing the need for close cooperation between the government and private sector to counter such threats.

Microsoft said that it has taken steps to mitigate the damage from the attack and that it is working with the U.S. government to investigate the incident. The State Department also confirmed that it had been affected and took immediate steps to secure its systems.

The sources for this piece include an article in CNBC.