The U.S. National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), which oversees the design and maintenance of America’s nuclear weapons arsenal, has become one of the victims of a cyberattack targeting Microsoft SharePoint. The incident also affected several other key government agencies – and all signs point once again to China-linked hackers.
Microsoft Targeted Again – Along with the U.S. Nuclear Authority
The vulnerability in Microsoft SharePoint was exploited on July 18, and according to a spokesperson from the Department of Energy, some systems were affected. Fortunately, due to widespread use of Microsoft 365 cloud services and robust cybersecurity measures, the damage was reportedly minimal, with only a few systems impacted – all of which are now being restored.
Representatives of the NNSA confirmed that no classified information was leaked during the incident. Still, the fact that someone managed to access infrastructure related to U.S. nuclear operations is highly concerning.
SharePoint – The Weak Link
The vulnerability only affected locally hosted SharePoint systems – not the cloud-based ones – which opened the door to this breach. The attack extended far beyond U.S. borders, hitting Middle Eastern and EU government systems as well. Other U.S. victims included the Department of Education, the Florida Department of Financial Services, and Rhode Island’s General Assembly.
Earlier reports revealed that hackers stole login credentials, tokens, and hash codes, potentially giving them access to sensitive internal systems.
China-Linked Groups Suspected
Microsoft has named several hacking groups believed to be backed by the Chinese government – specifically Violet Typhoon, Linen Typhoon, and Storm-2603. Cybersecurity firm Mandiant, owned by Google, stated that at least one attacker was very likely of Chinese origin.
U.S. cybersecurity agency CISA confirmed that the SharePoint vulnerability is being actively exploited. Microsoft has already released three updates to fix the issue.
The Chinese embassy in Washington responded by denying any involvement and warned against “groundless accusations.”
Microsoft Under Fire
Microsoft has become a repeated target of high-level cyberattacks in recent years. In 2021, a separate Chinese group called Hafnium breached systems via a vulnerability in Microsoft Exchange Server. After facing sharp criticism for its previous response, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella declared that cybersecurity is now the company’s top priority.
Recently, Microsoft also announced it would no longer rely on Chinese engineers for developing cloud services tied to the U.S. Department of Defense – following concerns that such arrangements may have enabled access to sensitive systems.
The Flaw Was First Discovered – by Ethical Hackers
Interestingly, the SharePoint vulnerability was first discovered in May during a hacking contest in Berlin organized by cybersecurity firm Trend Micro. The event offered $100,000 rewards for discovering zero-day vulnerabilities, demonstrating just how valuable – and dangerous – these flaws can be.
Summary: Another Security Blow for the U.S.
Although no classified data was leaked, confidence in government infrastructure has taken another hit. The NNSA was among several high-profile victims, and China-sponsored cyber threats continue to rise.
The U.S. once again finds itself needing to strengthen its cyber defenses – not just against foreign adversaries, but also against its own systemic vulnerabilities.
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