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| 10 hacker groups exploited loopholes in Microsoft programs |
Network security company ESET said in a blog post, that at least 10 different hacking organizations have used recently discovered vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange Server mail server software to penetrate targets around the world.
The extent to which this vulnerability is exploited makes it all the more urgent to send alerts to government agencies in the United States and Europe about vulnerabilities in Microsoft Exchange programs.
Security holes in the widely used Exchange Server software opened the door to cyber espionage, allowing malicious attackers to steal email from compromised servers or transfer it to other network locations as desired.
Reuters reported last week that thousands of organizations have been threatened, with new losses reported every day.
The Norwegian parliament announced that the data came from a security vulnerability related to the Microsoft vulnerability, and the German cybersecurity regulator said that two federal agencies were affected by the vulnerability.
Although Microsoft has released a patch, the slow update speed - experts attribute this in part to the complexity of the Exchange Server architecture - means the domain is at least partially open to hackers of all domains.
These fixes do not remove access to hardware-installed rear doors. Additionally, some of the affected hardware's backdoors contain easy-to-guess passwords that beginners can adopt.
Although hackers seem to be focusing on cyber espionage, experts fear that cyber criminals may demand a ransom to exploit the vulnerability as it could cause widespread damage.
ESET reports signs of exploitation as an organization that specializes in stealing computer resources to steal cryptocurrency has broken down into vulnerable servers to spread its malware.
ESET has identified nine other groups of hackers who focus on espionage, and they say they are using vulnerabilities to break into targeted networks.
Microsoft blamed China for the hacking attack, but the Chinese government denied it had any effect.
Before Microsoft announced the vulnerability on March 2, several groups of hackers appeared to be aware of the vulnerability.
It is not uncommon for several cyber espionage organizations to obtain the same information before it is made public.
The information appears to have been leaked in some way before Microsoft announced it, or was discovered by a third-party that provided information about security vulnerabilities to internet spies.
Network security firm FireEye said it has also seen several ways for various potential Chinese hacking groups to exploit Microsoft's vulnerabilities.
The security industry is teeming with many theories, including former hackers hacking into Microsoft's bug-tracking system.