In today’s time when everything is going digital, our information is also now trapped in computers and servers. In such a situation, if someone enters these computer networks and steals confidential information, then imagine what will happen? Recently, one such big case has come to light, in which hackers targeted an important system of Microsoft – SharePoint. This attack has disturbed the sleep of more than 100 organizations around the world.
What is cyber espionage?
Cyber espionage means stealing through the Internet or computer network. But this theft is not an ordinary theft – it involves stealing your personal, secret and important information. Like any government document, military information or a company’s business plan.
Spying people take advantage of the flaws in the computer system and silently enter it. They can use viruses, phishing links or any malicious software. They enter inside and copy the information and the system owner does not even get a clue of it.
What happened this time? Why was Microsoft SharePoint targeted?
Microsoft’s SharePoint is a tool through which big companies and government organizations share their important files with each other. In this, the data remains safe, and the team members can work together.
In this attack, the hackers took advantage of a technical weakness in the SharePoint server, which was not known to anyone earlier. This is called “Zero-Day Vulnerability“, that is, a defect for which no solution exists yet.
The hackers found SharePoint servers connected to the Internet, and by sending a special type of data, they put virus-like software in them. After this, they entered inside and started stealing important files and things like passwords.
Which institutions were targeted in Microsoft SharePoint?
According to Microsoft and many cyber security experts, more than 100 organizations have been affected by this attack so far. These include some government agencies, research centers, medical institutions and many big companies.
The maximum impact of this attack was seen in countries like America and Germany. A nuclear institution of America, the Health Department, and some defense related organizations also got caught in this.
And the surprising thing is that many companies did not know for months that someone had entered their system.
Why did Microsoft issue the alert?
As soon as Microsoft got wind of this attack, it immediately issued a warning. They said that their SharePoint server is under dangerous attack and all users should update their systems immediately.
They also said that hackers had stolen some security keys of SharePoint. Now if they have these keys, they can re-enter the server anytime. That is why Microsoft clearly said to change all the old passwords and security keys and install the new security patch immediately.
What is a SharePoint server and why is it so important?
In simple terms, SharePoint is like a digital office where people save their documents, presentations, reports etc. and the rest of the team can view and edit them.
Now imagine — what if someone breaks into your office and copies all your files? SharePoint contains confidential information of many companies — such as client details, financial papers, project reports — and because of this, it becomes a very “greedy” target for hackers.
What techniques did the hackers adopt in Microsoft SharePoint attack?
This attack was not a common trick. Here professional hackers adopted a very clever method. They identified a weakness in Microsoft SharePoint that no one knew about. Then they sent a fake request named “POST” – which was actually a malware.
With this, they installed a Web Shell (i.e. a way to run the system from within) in SharePoint and then extracted all the security keys through it.
In some cases, these hackers also spread “ransomware” through SharePoint – i.e. a technique to lock the system and demand ransom. This was not just a case of theft, but also an attempt to take control.
Read Official America’s Cyber Defense Agency Alert on It
How can users and companies protect themselves?
Now the question arises — how to avoid this?
- First of all, always keep your system updated. Immediately install the security patches provided by Microsoft.
- Change your passwords and security keys regularly.
- Keep a good antivirus like Microsoft Defender active.
- Ensure multi-factor authentication (MFA) so that no one can login with just the password.
- Keep creating backups of your data — especially offline backups — so that if something happens, the data can be recovered.
Growing cyber threats in India and the world
Now this is not just a problem of Microsoft or America. India is also not untouched by this. Recently some Pakistani hackers claimed to have hacked many websites of India, although most of them turned out to be false.
But the real threat is from those professional hackers who are silently targeting government networks. India’s agency CERT-In is continuously working on this. The government has also made a “Cyber Crisis Management Plan” so that if an attack occurs, it can be dealt with.
Was Microsoft SharePoint attack carried out by any country?
Such attacks can often be carried out by “State-Sponsored” i.e. by the government of a country. According to Microsoft’s report, some hacker groups associated with China may be behind this attack. Google’s research also revealed the same thing.
Although China has denied these allegations, it is no longer hidden from anyone that in today’s time technological warfare (Cyberwarfare) has become a new weapon. Earlier countries used tanks and missiles in war, now attacks are done with keyboards and codes.
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Conclusion: What do we learn from this?
One thing is clear from this whole matter – “caution is safety.” If we do not update our systems on time, do not change passwords or do not make backups – then any hacker can harm us.
Governments, companies and common people – everyone needs to be cautious at this time. At the same time, we also have to understand that technology is as big a power as it is a threat – the only difference is how you use it.
What is Microsoft SharePoint Server and why is it used?
In this cyber-attack, hackers exploited a technical weakness (Zero-Day Vulnerability) in Microsoft SharePoint Server and infiltrated the server. They stole confidential files and security keys, and in some cases also spread ransomware. More than 100 organizations have been affected by this attack.
How can I protect my organization from such cyber attacks?
First of all, keep Microsoft SharePoint and all systems updated regularly.
Immediately apply security patches released by Microsoft.
Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA).
Keep security tools like Microsoft Defender running.
Maintain offline backup of data and get security audit done from time to time.
What happened in the recent cyber-attack on Microsoft SharePoint?
In Microsoft SharePoint cyber-attack, hackers exploited a technical weakness (Zero-Day Vulnerability) in Microsoft SharePoint Server and infiltrated the server. They stole confidential files and security keys, and in some cases also spread ransomware. More than 100 organizations have been affected by this attack.
